Burke thanks his lucky stars after Coolbane win

Coolbane Boy quickened up in some style to upset hotpot Power Of Pause in the concluding bumper at Thurles this afternoon.

Power Of Pause, a £180,000 purchase after winning a Punchestown point-to-point last February, was sent off a 30/100 shot in the two-mile-three contest.

He hit the front before the straight but was tracked through by the Liam Burke-trained Coolbane Boy.

The 7/1 shot (backed from 14/1) picked up nicely when asked by Tom Feeney inside the final furlong and got on top in the closing stages to record a three-length win.

Coolbane Boy had run twice in testing conditions over hurdles previously, finishing third on his debut at Wexford and falling when looking held in fourth at Limerick over Christmas.

"You need an awful lot of luck in this game. I took him to the sales but he was sore the morning of the sale and I actually couldn't give him away,” said Burke.

“Dr Richard Newland bought him outside the ring (for £30,000) but later sent him back, before 14 days were up. It was to my luck that he did.

"He is a fierce honest horse and the trip obviously suited him today. I've no plan with him.

"Tom gave him a brilliant ride; that's his second bumper winner but he has 52 point to point winners and I keep slagging him because I rode 55 winners in my time. So that now puts him on 54!

"Dan McDonald owns him, he lives in Edinburgh and his elderly mother was buried today."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)