Bracken toys with rivals in Topaz

Colin Keane, arguably the most talented young rider in the country, enjoyed the biggest success of his fledgling career when guiding Brendan Bracken to victory in the Topaz Mile Handicap at Galway last night.

This very valuable feature should have been fiercely competitive, but Ger Lyons’ charge scored with ridiculous ease, by an enormous eight and a half lengths.

It is the type of distance one normally associates with National Hunt racing in the depths of winter and not an extended mile contest at this festival.