Galway success on the double at famous Cheltenham festival

Date Published: 17-Mar-2011

From John McIntyre

in Cheltenham

Mervue jockey Graham Lee notched up his fifth-ever Cheltenham festival winner when steering home 10/1 chance Divers in the concluding Centenary Novices Handicap Chase on Tuesday on the first day of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

Lee hugged the inside rail on the French import and gradually brought the seven-year-old grey into contention before delivering a well-timed challenge on the approach to the last.

Divers still had Quantitativeeasing and Vino Griego to pass, but Lee’s mount was travelling best of all and stayed on resolutely up the hill for a two and three quarters lengths success.

Top jockey at the festival in 2005 after big race wins on Arcalis, No Refuge and Inglis Drever, Lee was delighted to get off the mark for the 2011 meeting for his retaining yard of Ferdy Murphy.

“The satisfaction of winning at the festival at whatever stage of your career is the tops. Massive credit is due to the horse – he had to want it. He fenced beautifully and was very clever,” Lee said.

Lee and Murphy had actually combined to land the corresponding race with L’Antartique at the 2007 Cheltenham festival as the North of England based trainer continued his impressive strike rate at Prestbury Park in March.

There was further Galway success on Wednesday when Chicago Grey – owned by John Earls from Killimordaly and brilliantly ridden by Derek O’Connor from Beagh – timed his run to perfection to take the National Hunt Chase.

Earls’ eight year old – trained by the in-form Gordon Elliot at his yard outside Trim in Co Meath – started as 5-1 favourite for this 141st running of the longer race of the festival.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.