Cork success on day three at Cheltenham as Paul Townend and Jimmy Mangan target Gold Cup

Home By The Lee made it fifth-time-lucky in the Stayers Hurdle for West Cork owner Sean O’Driscoll on day three at the Cheltenham Festival. 

The 33-1 shot rallied bravely to see off the fast-finishing Ballyburn under Paul Townend by a length and a quarter. 

On another dramatic afternoon at the Cotswolds Doneraile Jockey Darragh O’Keeffe rode his first winner of the week aboard Heart Wood for trainer Henry De Bromhead in the Ryanair Chase while Ballynoe jockey Shane Cotter took the concluding Kim Muir Chase for amateur jockeys. 

But the aptly name Home By The Lee stole the show and was all heart on a never-to-be-forgotten afternoon for connections. 

Winning trainer Joseph O’Brien said: “What a horse, he’s never taken a lame step in his life. We came here just hoping for a good run and it was a fantastic ride from JJ Slevin. 

It’s great for Sean O’Driscoll and his family from Cork, they bred him and he’s an 11-year-old now, they’ve been with him all the way through thick and thin."

Darragh O’Keeffe had the biggest smile at Cheltenham following the brilliant win of Heart Wood in the feature race Ryanair Chase. It had been a frustrating week for the Jockey and his boss Henry De Bromhead but the relief was clear to see with both. 

"He jumped brilliant and got into a great rhythm. I thought if he put in the same performance as last year without the favourite he’d be bang there. The horses have been running well and I’m delighted to win this."

Gold Cup Preview 

Conna trainer Jimmy Mangan's Spillane's Tower looks a massive player in a wide-open Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

The Conna handler is one of the most popular men in racing and there is a huge swell of support for the Mangan runner who is owned by JP McManus. The leading owner looks to have a very strong hand in the race and last year’s winner Inothewayurthinkin has come in for significant support in recent weeks and jockey Mark Walsh has remained loyal to the reigning champion. 

The British challenge is significantly stronger than recent years with Jango Baie, The Jukebox Man and the Welsh National winner Haiti Coulers.

Spillane's Tower has gone about his business nice and quietly this season, running in a couple of hurdle races before winning over fences in January at Cheltenham. Mangan has always insisted that his horse really prefers a softer surface and the steady rain at the track on Thursday will be music to his ears. 

Jane Mangan said: "Spillane's Tower has travelled over very well, and my parents are very happy with him. 

We will give him a little canter this evening after racing and it’s all systems go really.” 

Paul Townend has enjoyed a brilliant week, winning The Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase with Lossiemouth and Il Etait Temps. 

He now rides the favourite Gaelic Warrior in the Gold Cup and with the Mullins horse absolutely flying he looks a major player. 

Elsewhere on the final day Terrence O’Brien runs Cons Roc in the Hunter Chase, and he looks a leading player. This race has been good to the Cork P2P community and was won by Eugene and Maxine O’Sullivan with It Came To Pass in 2020.

Finally, the furore between Irish jockey Declan Queally and Nico De Bonville was defused with a handshake under the glare of the cameras on Thursday. The jockeys were involved in a heated exchange at the start of the Turners Novice Hurdle on Wednesday. 

Both were keen to move on from the incident and credited former Youghal jockey Davy Russell for defusing the situation which had occupied plenty of media coverage in recent days.