Former point-to-point winner Valdieu got off the mark in his seventh bumper with a decisive victory at Down Royal.

In today's assignment the 5/2 favourite got to the front a furlong and a half out and readily asserted in the final furlong under Mark O'Hare to score by 10 lengths. Braeside could make no impression in second at 6/1 with Shaws Bridge in third at 10/3.

Valdieu brought up a double for Noel Meade who said: "We always thought he was a very good horse, he just kept bumping into good ones.

"It is quite possible he will enjoy that easier ground - a lot of those Diamond Boys do. He (Mark O'Hare) said he was cantering the whole way.

"My plan is to send him jumping soon - hurdling straight away."

He had finished second to the likes of Malone Road, Desir Du Large and City Island

Meade won the opener on the card with Getaway Kid (11/2).

On winning the last race under the outgoing management at Down Royal, Meade said: "We are sorry to see it happen the way it did. Hopefully the new management will do as good a job as these have done because Jim (Nicholson) and his team and Mike (Todd) have done a fantastic job.

"I remember coming here when it was a backward track but there's nothing backward about it now - they have brought it into a new era. Hopefully it will keep going that way. They have never stopped improving all the time."