THE champagne was popping at Cheltenham for Chepstow’s Clerk of the Course Dai Jones on the opening day of the festival, as he watched jockey son Ben Jones ride Welsh-based Haiti Couleurs to glory in the £98,000 3m 6f Princess Royal National Hunt Novices' Chase.

The Jones clan were on Cloud Nine, as the young jockey rode Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis’ eight-year-old 7/2 joint favourite to a 4 1/2L win over Joe Tizzard's Rock My Way, for the rider’s first festival triumph.

Fellow Welsh jockey Lorcan Williams also stormed to victory in a dramatic opening day Champion Hurdle, on Somerset-trained 25-1 shot Golden Ace.

Red hot 11/10 Nicky Henderson favourite Constitution Hill fell at the third before Willy Mullins' defending champion State Man tumbled at the last with victory begging.

And Golden Ace charged through to win the £440,000 feature race by 9L from rank outsiders Burdett Road (66-1) and Winter Fog (150-1).

There was no champagne moment at Cheltenham for 2008 Gold Cup-winning jockey Sam Thomas though, as the Abergavenny-raised trainer's two hopes failed to fire.

Hopes were hight that Thomas’ Katate Dori could challenge in the Ultima Handicap Chase after runaway victory in February’s £147,000 Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton.

But starting the 3m 1f race in the 24-strong field at a well fancied 7-1, the seven-year-old under jockey Dylan Johnston was pulled up two from home after falling away – one of 12 horses to fail to finish.

Thomas' 2021 Chepstow Welsh Grand National winner Iwilldoit suffered the same fate next day, pulled up five from home in the 3m 5f Glenfarclas X-Country Chase after the 12-year-old 22-1 shot made a bad mistake at the water jump.

Ross-on-Wye trainer Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille finished sixth for the third time in the showcase Gold Cup, again denied the wet ground that would have given the Betfair Hurdle champion a chance but still earning £8,917 in prize money.