It was fitting that Ireland should have four winners on St Patrick’s Thursday at Cheltenham, with the final winner coming via Daily Present (12/1) and Barry Stone-Walsh in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase.
It was a first Cheltenham Festival winner for the twenty-five year old amateur jockey on what was his first ever ride in Britain.
The Paul Nolan-trained winner had a neck to spare over the well-backed 9/2 favourite Johnnywho in the colours of J.P. McManus.
Wexford handler Nolan said:
“He is a stayer, but he was too free in the race last year. The ride that chap gave him was great as he never left the inside. He just had to try and keep on filling him. He was brilliant on him.
“I definitely thought Johnnywho was coming back, but I knew my lad would stay, however when I saw Derek (O’Connor) rallying I thought we were done.”
The winning handler was high in his praise of Stone-Walsh, saying:
“That was the lad’s first ride in England. He is a super rider that is loaded with talent, and what a pair of hands he has. I just thought he was super on him. He never put him into the race until he had to, but I was sure he was going to be second.”
“It is magical stuff”
The winning jockey, a brother of professional jockey Conor Stone-Walsh described the feeling of having his first Cheltenham winner:
“It is magical stuff and I’ve been dreaming of it for years growing up. Nothing will top this now I will say. It was all smooth sailing. It just got a little rough on the turn in, but he had plenty left and I was able to get him back going again.
“I never thought it would be like this, but when you get a ride on a horse with a chance you have to take it all in.”
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