Lizlucky, far side, gets back up to beat Silver Breeze© Photo Healy Racing
Lizlucky rallied to winning effect for Mikey McGuane in the mares' bumper at Punchestown.
The 15/8 favourite was headed by Silver Breeze with 150 yards left but knuckled down to her task and soon worked her way into a fractional lead.
The pair raced to the line and it was Lizlucky who prevailed by a short head from the 6/1 runner-up. Elusive Sea was a length and a quarter away in third at an easy-to-back 9/2.
Trainer Patrick Foley said: “She was very tough, she's as honest as they are made and she's a typical Flemensfirth filly.
“Two miles wouldn't be ideal and we were worried about the step back in trip today, especially on ground that was as quick as it was.
“If it had been two miles on soft we would have been fancying her but I did think she might get caught out for gears on that. It's a bonus that she didn't.
“She was headed and battled back to get her head up on the line.
“She'll go hurdling now and will be a lovely hurdling mare as she jumps great. She'll be a winter filly, maybe not real heavy ground, but soft ground won't bother her at all and two-and-a-half will be an ideal trip for her.
“We would have run over hurdles but we were waiting for an ease in the ground and this race came up today, a mares bumper, so we said we'd give her an entry in it.
“When it was good to firm we were reluctant but when it went to good we said we'd let her take her chance.
“It's great for Leo (McCormack) who owns her as he has the whole family, a full-sister and a half-brother and sister coming along as well. It's brilliant for the pedigree.”
Lizlucky improved upon a runner-up finish in a bumper over an extended two and a quarter miles at Cork in August.
The Stewards interviewed Mr M. McGuane, rider of Lizlucky, concerning his use of the whip in the latter stages of this race. Evidence was heard from the rider concerned. In his evidence Mr M. McGuane stated that his mount was responding but got joined and headed by a challenger close to the finish and he reverted to the whip once more. Having viewed a recording of the race and considered the evidence the Stewards were of the opinion that Mr M. McGuane was in breach of R10(3)(g) by using his whip with excessive frequency. Having taken his previous record into consideration, the Stewards suspended Mr M. McGuane for three racedays
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
