Tony McCoy was the toast of punters on the final day of the Fairyhouse Easter meeting when recording a double on the heavily-backed J P McManus-owned pair Like-A-Butterfly and Ground Ball.
Like-A-Butterfly's success in the Powers Gold Cup gave McManus and trainer Christy Roche obvious joy as the 11yo mare is now a Grade 1 winner both over hurdles and fences.
Backed from 11/2 to 7/2 favourite, she responded gamely under pressure from two out to overhaul Forget The Past close home for a half length verdict.
Watson Lake travelled sweetly into the straight for Paul Carberry but could find no extra when asked for an effort and finished six lengths further adrift in third.
'She's a great mare and ones like her only come along so often. She was very sick over Christmas, losing a lot of weight, and I don't think she was firing on all cylinders at Cheltenham,' said Roche.
'There are a few options for her at Punchestown over two miles and two and a half, although I wouldn't run her on firm ground. I'd hope to have her back next season.'
McCoy stepped in for David Casey, who took a heavy fall from Emotional Article in the handicap hurdle, on Ground Ball in the Blue Square Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase.
The Charlie Swan-trained gelding benefitted from a typically powerful drive by McCoy to hold off the strong-finishing Ulaan Baatar by half a length.
'He's got a great cruising speed but ran a bit keen and is better in a fast run race where you can drop him in. He had a hard race but, if he comes out of it okay, he'll probably go to Punchestown,' said Swan.
Turf Club doctor Walter Halley reports Casey to have a 'significant right hip injury' and he was taken to Blanchardstown for a full body x-ray but was fully conscious.
Paul Carberry took a fall from Definate Spectacle in the same race, and was stood down for the day with a soft tissue injury to his right knee.
Justified was another beaten at Cheltenham to enjoy success on the afternoon as Dusty Sheehy's charge took the Menolly Homes Novice Hurdle.
The Railway Man (15/8f) set the pace but had no answer when headed between the final two flights by Shay Barry's mount who went on to score by two lengths.
'He got very wound up in the stables at Cheltenham, and didn't settle at all in the race. The cut in the ground probably suited him today, and if he has another race this season it will be at Punchestown,' said Sheehy.
He added, 'We haven't schooled him over fences yet but, with so many good hurdlers around, he'll probably go over fences next season.'
He also reported that Carraig Blue is unlikely to race again after sustaining a serious tendon injury here yesterday.
The Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle proved a real family affair with Philip Carberry edging out his sister Nina as their uncle Arthur Moore trained a 1-2.
Philip made all aboard 20/1 outsider Bon Temps Rouler, and the French-bred gelding found plenty when strongly tackled by 7/2 favourite Mansony in the straight to prevail by 3/4L.
'Luckily the ground came up very gluey at Cork over the weekend as that's where he would have gone. He can't handle very heavy ground but is a horse we've always thought a bit of,' said Moore.
'He could be a Galway Hurdle type, and will probably run through the summer,' added Moore, who felt the concession of 17lb just proved too much for Mansony.
Levitator booked his place in the line-up for the Champion 4YO Hurdle at Punchestown next month after making an impressive jumping debut in the Weatherbys Ireland GSB Hurdle.
The Sadler's Wells gelding was set on off the home turn by leading claimer Tom Ryan to beat Tous Les Tables by four and a half lengths.
The victory of Bon Temps Rouler, together with 16/1 shot Mr Flowers (Garrett Cotter) in the 0-109 2m1f handicap chase, resulted in a jackpot pool rollover of e25,212 to Clonmel on Thursday.
First Down Jets (Colman Sweeney) touched off Good Step virtually on the line in the hunters chase, while Gordon Elliott successfully deputised for Niall Madden on newcomer Ballintra Boy in the bumper.
Madden was sore and bruised after a fall here yesterday, while the much touted Sporting Limerick (9/4f), a stablemate of the winner, could manage only sixth.
Following the trend of the previous two days here, the attendance of 7,400 was down 100 on the corresponding day last year.
Alan Magee
