Acapella Bourgeois a two-time Grade 2 winner over hurdles last term, opened his account over fences when making all in the Flower Hill Beginners Chase at Navan.

The 2/1 chance responded gamely under pressure from before the final fence, and stayed on well on the run-in for Roger Loughran to beat the odds-on Arbre De Vie by four and three quarters of a length.

The pair stretched right away, with Moonshine Lad all of 26 lengths back in third.

Winning trainer Sandra Hughes said, “He was very good today and probably just idled a bit in front. We took the hood off him as we felt he doesn’t need it any more. He’s a bit older and a bit wiser, and the fire is back in the belly which is great.

“His jumping was very good, and more testing ground and going a bit further will suit him.

“I’m not sure where he will go next but he is very ground dependant. Unless Cheltenham came up soft we would be giving it a miss. He might go for the 2m5f Scalp Novice in Leopardstown next month, and we’ll hope it keeps pouring rain between now and then.

“There is also a three-mile race back here. He needs three to four weeks between races so we will do what is best for him but he will step up to Graded company next time.”