Banbridge scores Silviniaco Conti win on seasonal return

Banbridge kept on strongly to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Grade Two Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton.

Joseph O'Brien’s eight-year-old was having his first outing for 275 days but got the better of defending champion Pic D’Orhy thanks to jumping the final fence better under JJ Slevin.

Pic D’Orhy, who coasted to a 16-length success in this contest 12 months ago, set the pace early on from Banbridge, with the other three runners in a line a few lengths back.

Notlongtillmay made a brief forward move on the turn for home, while Edwardstone and Janidil never quite got into the contest.

That left Banbridge and Pic D’Orhy to battle it out up the home straight and a late blunder by the latter proved decisive, with the 3-1 victor prevailing by a length and three-quarters.