McCoy wins on battling Butterfly

Like-A-Butterfly was fifth in the SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham

Champion jockey Tony McCoy steered Like-A-Butterfly to a gutsy victory in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The mare looked beaten when Forget The Past came to the second last with a cosy lead under Barry Geraghty.

But McCoy typically refused to give in on the 7-2 favourite, and pounced when the leader made a blunder.

Geraghty had to settle for second on Forget The Past (7-1) behind the JP McManus-owned winner, with third place going to Watson Lake (5-1).

Like-A-Butterfly, trained by Christy Roche, had been backed down from 6-1 to 7-2 and prevailed by half a length.

She had run creditably when finishing fifth behind Trabolgan in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival a fortnight earlier.

I didn't think she was firing on all cylinders at Cheltenham but she's come on well Christy Roche, trainer Like-A-Butterfly Casey in Aintree scare

"She's a great mare. They don't come along often and she's been a great servant," said Roche.

McCoy rounded off a good day when Ground Ball took the Bet@Blue Square Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase.

The nine-times champion jockey, replacing David Casey who had been injured in a fall, drove the 15-8 favourite to a half-length win over Ulaan Baatar.

Another beaten Festival runner to oblige at Fairyhouse on Tuesday was Justified, who won the Menolly Homes Novice Hurdle.

Only eighth to Arcalis in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Dusty Sheehy's charge took the Grade Two event for his fourth win of the season.

Shay Barry brought the six-year-old to take the lead from the pacemaking The Railway Man, the 15-8 favourite, between the final two flights.

The 7-2 shot dived at the last obstacle but soon recovered and went on to win by two lengths. Blazing Liss was third.

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Powers Gold Cup Chase, Fairyhouse, 2m 4f
1 Like-A-Butterfly (A P McCoy) 7-2 Fav
2 Forget The Past 7-1
3 Watson Lake 5-1
13 ran