Cooper on the Cheltenham trail again with Forpadydeplasterer

TOM COOPER, who won the Cheltenham Bumper with Total Enjoyment four years ago, is on the Festival trail again.

The Tralee trainer’s imposing Forpadydeplasterer produced a tremendous display to beat Cork All Star in yesterday’s Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown and will head to Prestbury Park as a live candidate for the Ballymore Properties Hurdle, formerly the SunAlliance.

Sent to the front turning in by Davy Russell, the massive six-year-old showed all the right qualities when push came to shove. Cork All Star was soon out after him, but could never get in a real blow and was a length and a quarter adrift at the line.