Although Ulster did drop down into the Challenge Cup after the pool stages in 2021 and 2024, this was their first time starting their campaign in the second-tier European competition.
The presence of high-profile visitors, who have twice visited Belfast in the Champions Cup over the previous six seasons, perhaps stripped the occasion of some of its novelty.
The French side’s team selection, however, hinted at the changed circumstances.
Eleventh in the Top 14 table, the visitors clearly had their mind on domestic matters with the likes of French internationals Romain Taofifenua and Gael Fickou not in their travelling party.
It was Racing’s Antoine Gibert, however, who opened the scoring. While, beyond one brief spell for the French side in Ulster territory, the hosts had dominated the opening exchanges, but Gibert did well to read James Hume’s intended offload for a lengthy intercept score which the fly-half converted himself.
Undeterred, Ulster continued to show patience with ball in hand with the sharp passing evidenced under new attack coach Mark Sexton this season on show when Jacob Stockdale was worked over the line for their first try of the evening after a quarter of an hour.
The game’s second quarter was a decidedly more even, and considerably scrappier, affair but Ulster took a lead into the half despite Racing creating the better opportunities.
Their second score came when Racing’s former Wales lock Will Rowlands was pinged at the ruck and Rob Herring was mauled over from the resulting kick to the corner five minutes before the turn.
Ulster’s advantage survived until the interval only after a try-saving tackle from Robert Baloucoune, a Rowlands score was chalked off for obstruction, and a goalline turnover from Nick Timoney in the closing minutes of the half.
That defensive stand loomed all the larger when Ulster scored two tries in the opening seven minutes of the second half to take control of the contest.
Tight-head prop Tom O’Toole scored an opportunistic try to provide the first two-score buffer of the evening before half-time replacement Tom Stewart was the beneficiary of another strong Ulster maul to wrap up the bonus point.
The arrival of Wallaby loose-head Bell as a second-half substitute brought one of the biggest cheers of the night from the home crowd, but it was his fellow front-row replacement Scott Wilson who crashed over as Racing’s heads began to drop approaching the hour mark.
As the game became increasingly ragged, Ulster scored five more tries across the final 13 minutes.
Jake Flannery was next to cross before a pair of tries from Zac Ward, with the second of Stockdale’s own double in between, completing the rout.
