Don Cossack makes the perfect reappearance at Punchestown

Don Cossack made the perfect reappearance as he put up a convincing display to land the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown.

Jumping into the lead at the second-last fence, the Gigginstown House-owned eight-year-old cruised home in the hands of Bryan Cooper to give trainer Gordon Elliott his fifth successive win in this contest.

Roi Du Mee, one of three representing the winning connections in the five-runner field, made the running.

Bright New Dawn fell at the second obstacle and completed the course riderless. Thankfully, he did not cause any serious trouble as Don Cossack (1-4) landed the odds from Roi Du Mee, with Cailin Annamh third and Aranhill Chief last of the four finishers.

The highest-rated chaser in Britain and Ireland last season, Don Cossack was completing a quick double for Elliott and Cooper following The Game Changer’s success in the preceding Buck House Novice Chase.

Paddy Power left Don Cossack unchanged at 4-1 for the King George VI Chase and 6-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Elliott said: “It’s great to get that out of the way, I was nervous beforehand. We know there is a lot of improvement in him and he gave a real good blow.

“Bryan said he was never out of second gear. He said he gave a bit of a blow at the back of the fifth-last, but he never moved on him and he finished full of running.

“It might not have been the strongest race, but he had to start somewhere.

“He’s been the apple of my eye since his bumper days and he’s shown how good he is now.

“If he stays in one piece we’re hoping for a marvellous year and we’re looking forward to it.

“I’ll have to talk to Michael and Eddie (O’Leary) and we’ll do the right thing by the horse. He’s won on heavy, but I still believe he’s better on that type of ground and is a horse for all those good festivals.

“I said when he was a bumper horse that he was the best I’ve ever had and Michael gave out hell to me so I don’t say that anymore!

“He’s the highest-rated horse in England and Ireland and second-favourite for the Gold Cup — I don’t have too many like that in the yard.

"I have to train him like a Gold Cup horse now. Gigginstown obviously have a few others there, like Road To Riches and Don Poli.

“He’s in at Down Royal (JNwine.com Champion Chase), but if Noel (Meade, trainer of Road To Riches) goes there he’ll miss it. If he doesn’t he could go. He’s also entered in Haydock (Betfair Chase).

“I have to thank Punchestown. The job they’ve done with the watering here shouldn’t go unmentioned.

“Only for that we wouldn’t have run. They knew we wanted to come and did everything they could.”

Cooper said: “You couldn’t ask for more. He didn’t come out of second gear and jumped great.

“It’s the first one out of the way and it’s onwards and upwards.

“I just let him pop away and wanted to get him settled and go to sleep. I was trying to save as much energy as I could and he did it well.

“If he can improve a little bit from last year, he sets the standard. Obviously we’ve got Don Poli and Road To Riches. Hopefully they won’t clash too much.

“It would take a lot for me to get off this lad.”

Earlier in the day the Game Changer won for the sixth time since May with an impressive performance to lift the Buck House Novice Chase.

Bryan Cooper oozed confidence on the Gordon Elliott-trained evens favourite as he delivered him to jump into the lead at the final fence.

The Game Changer then sprinted clear of the pace-setting Sizing Platinum to win cheekily by three lengths.

“He’s entered at Cheltenham next weekend, but I’d say we might have to take a pull now,” said Elliott.