The well-bred Taraval gained a valuable winning bracket at the tenth attempt when staying on well under Brian Cawley to land the Martinstown Opportunity Maiden Hurdle.

The half-sister by Milan to crack hurdler Oscar Whisky kept on gamely on the run-in to reward those who made her the 2/1 favourite, beating Mallowney (7/2) by half a length. Lastofthepilots well-backed from 13/2 down to 9/2, held every chance in the straight but could find no extra under pressure from before the last finishing a further seven and a half lengths back in third.

Winning trainer Charlie Swan said, “She’s a nice tough mare and she stays very well. She’s a half-sister to Oscar Whisky and already has some black type.

“She will probably be put in foal to Flemensfirth now. Hopefully she can win a chase before she retires to the paddock.”

(Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes)