Lisnagar Oscar continued an excellent Cheltenham Festival for Irish pointing graduates when he took the Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle for trainer Rebecca Curtis.
The son of Oscar had finished third to red-hot favourite Paisley Park in late-January in the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle, however inn the hands of Adam Wedge, the seven-year-old was able to turn that form around, fending off his nearest rival, Ronald Pump, by two lengths.
Now owned by Racing For Fun, the gelding had won a five-year-old geldings' maiden at Liscarroll in 2018 when trained and owned by his breeder Denis Fitzgerald.
Winning by a convincing eight lengths on that occasion, he subsequently sold privately to Rebecca Curtis at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in 2018.
Prior to today's success, he had enjoyed two successes, one of which was a Grade 2 novices' hurdle at Haydock in February of 2019, along with being placed on seven occasions.
Curtis said: "He ran a blinder on his last run and I am not sure whatever happened to him at the beginning of the season. We did find a few ulcers and things, so we treated him for that and he was so well at home. I thought 50/1 was a massive price.
"Adam is what I call such a solid, solid jockey. I am delighted for him to get his first Festival winner. He has given the horse a brilliant ride.
"I'm absolutely delighted. I thought he had a big chance today; I didn't think he would beat [2019 winner] Paisley Park, but I thought he'd get placed.
"To see him improve that much - I'm just delighted. I was thinking, 'don't get caught, don't get caught.' He took a nice pull all the way and I thought they went a good gallop.
"It's a time when I need it; I'm trying to rebuild the yard. I've had four winners here before, but it's been five years, so it's just great to win another one."
"Adam is what I call such a solid, solid jockey. I am delighted for him to get his first Festival winner. He has given the horse a brilliant ride.
"I'm absolutely delighted. I thought he had a big chance today; I didn't think he would beat [2019 winner] Paisley Park, but I thought he'd get placed.
"To see him improve that much - I'm just delighted. I was thinking, 'don't get caught, don't get caught.' He took a nice pull all the way and I thought they went a good gallop.
"It's a time when I need it; I'm trying to rebuild the yard. I've had four winners here before, but it's been five years, so it's just great to win another one."
