Dessie Hughes's exciting prospect Bright New Dawn made a winning debut over fences in the Setanta Sports 1Euro Offer Beginners Chase at Punchestown.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old was ridden by Bryan Cooper, who made the most of the opportunity after intended pilot Davy Russell was stood down following his crashing fall from Sir Des Champs in the big race.
Bright New Dawn (5-4 favourite) made all the running and had to fight off the Willie Mullins representative Dogora, a four-year-old receiving 12lb who put in a strong bid after the last but was always just being held on the dash to the line. The winning distance was half a length.
Cooper told At The Races: "We've always held him in high regard and chasing was always going to be his game. He had to work hard for it, but I would have been happier if Ruby (Walsh, on Dogora) had come to me going to the last. I could have done with a bit of company. He was idling, but got the job done.
"My lad in a proper true-run race is when you will see the best of him. It was his first run of the season. He was only a length and three-quarters behind Champagne Fever on hurdles form and on that evidence he has held his ability, so we can go down that route."
Hughes added: "He always looked like he'd make a chaser, but it's nice to see it happen. He's in the three-mile Grade One (Topaz Novice Chase) at Christmas, and more than likely that's where he'll go. Hopefully he'll go on from that and it was a good first run over fences. The second horse had already run and we were giving him 12lb. He jumped well."
Hughes and Cooper also scored with Apache Jack (5-4 favourite), a full brother to prolific winner Black Jack Ketchum, who cleared away between the last two flights to take the 2014 Annual Membership Maiden Hurdle by 12 lengths.
The trainer-jockey combination looked sure to complete a treble when Canaly jumped the last clear in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Handicap Chase, but Ruby Walsh conjured a remarkable late surge from Robert Tyner's 5-2 favourite Daring Article and got up by a head in the shadow of the post.
Charlie Swan looks to have a smart four-year-old on his hands judged by the way The Game Changer demolished the opposition in the www.punchestown.com Rated Novice Hurdle. Beaten into third behind Ange Balafre last time, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding was 3lb better off this time and that proved more than enough in the two-mile contest.
Davy Russell arrived on the heels of the leaders full of running rounding the turn into the straight and the 4-1 shot popped over the final flight in front before beating the favourite Clonard Lad by two and a quarter lengths.
Swan said: "He's a half-brother to Johns Spirit (who won the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month for Jonjo O'Neill) and he's a bit like him in that he doesn't like being in front too long. Even at home he can be a bit of a character if in front too long. I'm not sure where he'll go next, but we'll probably have to step him up to Graded class now."
