The best jumping I remember seeing live on TV . This 6 year old novice called Bright Highway had won the Mackeson at Cheltenham in early November, and then two or three weeks later, under top weight, if memory serves me , of 11 Stone 6, won this Hennessy at Newbury in similar fashion. He was then installed as favourite for the Gold Cup. Injury to a hind tendon ended his career soon after, apart from an unsuccessful comeback attempt two years later. He is the only horse I have ever heard, or in this case read, the late Peter O'Sullevan to compare with Arkle, which he did in the Sunday Express the day after the Hennessy, calling Bright Highway 'The Darling of Newbury'. I think the reason for that comparison was a combination of the Arkle like jumping of trainer Michael O'Brien's gelding, and the weight carrying performance in victory, now much a thing of the past. He was a bigger, thicker set horse than Arkle, but it's wonderful and poignant in equal measure to look back at these races and ponder what might have been. This horse never seemed to meet a fence on anything but a perfect stride and seemed to glide over them with effortless grace. Gerry Newman was the jockey and they seemed a perfect fit for each other..
Good win for Bright Highway trained by wheel-chair bound Michael O’Brien and owned by American George Strawbridge, ridden by Gerry Newman. Newbury was such a beautiful course now turned into a housing estate with flats all around the course.
