Bright New Dawn enjoys nice confidence-booster

Cheltenham Gold Cup winning connections, jockey Bryan Cooper, trainer Gordon Elliott and owners Gigginstown Stud, combined to take the feature at the matinee meeting in Clonmel, the Suir Valley Chase, with Bright New Dawn.

With low sun interfering with the course, the two fences in the straight were omitted, resulting in the horses leaving the ground five times fewer than anticipated. The eventual winner was easy to back and sent off the 5-4 favourite, but was keen in the early stages.

Westerners Son poached a long lead but a bad mistake down the back on the final circuit cost him momentum. As they raced downhill towards the turn for home, the favourite eased into contention, and then coasted past the long-time leader in the straight before stretching right away for a bloodless victory.