Island Bridge overcame heavy ground on a brand new course to open his account last month. Having finished second to the now Gigginstown House Stud-owned and Gordon Elliott-trained €250,000 purchase Koktail Brut on his debut at Castletown-Geoghegan in the spring, the Order Of St George gelding proved himself to be a very progressive individual by stepping forward to win on his return at Peppard’s Castle. Here, in quite a tactical contest with the riders acquitting themselves to the new course for the first time, he still had plenty to do coming to the penultimate obstacle in fifth position. But showing a potent turn of foot, he rapidly came through rivals, showing great battling qualities, to get his head in front and prevail in a thrilling finish and defeat an own-brother to a €450,000 point winner in second.