Uncle Phil an all-the-way winner© Photo Healy Racing
The market for the featured Grade 3 SBK Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Steeplechase completely revolved around Letsbeclearaboutit but it was Uncle Phil who led his rivals a merry dance.
Uncle Phil, on handicap debut, made every yard of this extended 2m1f trip, but couldn't be called an obvious winner off the home turn as Lucid Dreams and another handicap debutant, Letsbeclearaboutit, loomed large in his wing mirrors.
Paul Townend got a good tune out of the front-runner, though, and the Walk In The Park gelding found plenty for pressure between the final two fences.
Letsbeclearaboutit made a mistake at the final fence when looking held in third and Lucid Dreams couldn't land a blow on the leader on the run-in, as both had to settle for minor honours.
Uncle Phil bounded on by three and three-quarter lengths at 11/2 from Lucid Dreams (10/1) and Letsbeclearaboutit (5/4f).
This gave Willie Mullins and Paul Townend a double on the card after Miss Manzor (6/4f) took the opener.
“That was very nice. His run in Punchestown was decent, he probably got his own way that day,” said Townend.
“Today he was jumping so well that he probably puts them under pressure behind and the drying ground helped.
“You don't know what to expect with him to be honest, but I thought his jumping and the run the last day would bring him a long way. Every dry day was helping.”
Paddy Power halved Uncle Phil from 50/1 to 25/1 for the Irish Arkle and gave him a first show of 20/1 for the Grand Annual.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
