Top chaser First Lieutenant made an encouraging return to action at Punchestown today, finishing third in the Star Best For Racing Coverage Chase, but the day belonged to jockey Bryan Cooper who completed a Grade 3 double, winning the contest on Toner D'Oudairies

First Lieutenant's owner Gigginstown House Stud had four of the six declared runners in the race, with Cooper originally pencilled in for the ride on Tofino Bay. However Tofino Bay was withdrawn during the day (due to going) and the Stewards then allowed Cooper, who is a regular on Gigginstown owned runners, switch to Toner D'Oudairies, replacing Keith Donoghue.

The race itself was a fine spectacle with the three Gigginstown runners racing together towards the final fence. Toner D'Oudairies found more on the run-in to eventually defeat his stablemate Roi Du Mee with First Lieutenant a close third and, presumably, in need of the outing.

Following the race, winning trainer Gordon Elliott, also responsible for the runner-up, stated “That was great! It's been a lucky race for us as we've won it the last three years.

“To be perfectly honest I was cheering home Roi Du Mee from the last; he (Roi Du Mee) is some little horse and it would have been great for him to win three in a row but the winner (Toner D'Oudairies) surprised us. He's better in these small field conditions races and that's his Gold Cup for the year. My only mistake was running him, as I would have liked Roi Du Mee to win!

“We thought Toner D'Oudairies would win the conditionals' race at Cheltenham one year and we might look for something in England with him next.”

Cooper who missed four months through injury is quickly making up for his summer months and was following up his win on Art Of Logistics earlier in the day.

First Lieutenant's trainer Mouse Morris later reported “he (First Lieutenant) jumped well and just needs to be sharpened up a bit.”

Paddy Power Bookmakers subsequently left First Lieutenant unchanged at 14/1 for the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson