Patience pays off as Lucky Phil makes the breakthrough

Two maiden mares showed the boys the way home in the Tote Backing Your Team Handicap Hurdle. Lucky Phil triumphed in the Gowran two miler for the father and son team of Tom and Bryan Cooper. Alice Johnston looked good into the straight for Padraig Roche and Jody McGarvey but Lucky Phil (2/1 favourite) was soon on her case.

Shedding her maiden tag at the fifteenth time of asking the successful daughter of Doyen led before the last.

The patiently ridden six-year-old kept on strongly to assert on the run-in, putting three lengths between herself and Alice Johnston. Itsalonglongroad was all of twenty three lengths back in third.

Just back off the sidelines Bryan Cooper was riding his first winner since July.

“She deserved that. She was very unlucky in Listowel and again got hampered in the beginners chase at Sligo," said Cooper senior.

“Her wind was catching her prior to that. She’s had it done three times and seems to be finishing out her races better now after getting it done the third time. Before Listowel she was cutting out in the last 100 yards.

“She has loads of pace and ran a cracker in a Flat maiden at Sligo. Next year she could run on the Flat and over hurdles and fences.

“She has a better chance of getting home on decent ground with her wind.”

(AM & EM)