'I feel absolute joy' - Magic Dancer puts Kerry Lee back among the winners

Friday: Cheltenham

Kerry Lee was full of emotion after yard favourite Magic Dancer ended the stable’s 166-day absence from the winner’s enclosure and rolled back the years to strike at Cheltenham for a third time.

The ten-year-old, who won at this meeting in 2017 and then the following April, displayed all of his old fight to fend off Broken Quest by a length in the Glenfarclas Veterans' Handicap Chase under Richard Patrick.

It provided the Herefordshire-based trainer with her first winner since May, from 15 runners, but continued her incredible record at Cheltenham, with 40 per cent of her representatives recording top-three finishes.

This contest was added after the first cross-country race of the season at Cheltenham could not be staged due to a lack of rain. Lee decided to target it after the announcement was made a week ago.

She said: “I feel absolute joy, I feel so proud of Magic and the team.

“You could be no more than hopeful given the form of the horses over the last few weeks. It was mild trepidation as much as anything, it’s a big step up to come here in a 0-150.

“We knew he was going to love the hill but it seemed like an awfully long way from the last while we were in front – there’s been times when we’ve been beaten up that hill. It’s very nice when you see him pass the line in front, a huge relief if anything. If he can’t put a smile on your face, then nothing can.”

'Dream' Cheltenham win

Relief, elation and all sorts of emotions poured out of Kieren Buckley after he rode a “dream” first winner at Cheltenham aboard Sweet Will for his boss Gavin Cromwell in the 2m5f conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle.

Buckley, whose brother Tom is a conditional with Paul Nicholls and youngest brother Finn rides in point-to-points, had been based in Britain with Nigel Hawke but joined Cromwell in the summer on the back of riding for the trainer for the first time in the County Hurdle in March.

The In Bounds Syndicate-owned Sweet Will was winning for the second time in four days under Buckley, having scored at Fairyhouse on Tuesday. The rider celebrated this win even more, standing up in the saddle and waving his whip in the air after crossing the line.

Buckley, 26, said: “That was relief, elation and all sorts of emotions. I’ve dreamed about this moment since I started riding and I couldn’t believe it when we pinged the last and went away.

Sweet Will (left) finished powerfully to beat Fine CastingCredit: John Grossick

“I’ve come here with chances before and for one reason or another they’ve all been beaten. I was waiting for that to happen again today but it didn’t! I took as long as I could coming back down the walkway to soak it all up.

“I moved to Gavin’s in May and it’s a little poetic as my first ride for him was My Mate Mozzie in the County Hurdle here in March, after which he offered me the job, and to come back eight months later and ride him a winner is fantastic.

“I owe him a hell of a lot. My career wasn’t really going anywhere, I was getting lots of support off Nigel but that was it, and since I’ve gone to Gavin’s it’s really taken off.”

Prayers answered

Owners The Pres Partnership roared home Unanswered Prayers to an impressive debut win over fences in the 2m4f novice handicap chase.

Tom Cannon’s mount, trained by Chris Gordon, jumped particularly well and repelled the challenge of the Irish pair Railway Hurricane and Hereditary Rule to score by three-quarters of a length.

Unanswered Prayers clears the last on the way to a debut win over fencesCredit: John Grossick Racing

Luke Axel-Berg, who runs the ten-strong syndicate, said: “That was something else for his first time over fences. We know he jumps and stays so there’s no better place to bring him.

“He’s a lovely horse and the syndicate is great fun. It’s a brilliant way to get people involved and engaged in racing – it’s everyone’s dream to have a winner here and nothing beats it.”

Course breakthrough

Joe Tizzard enjoyed his first Cheltenham winner as a trainer when Amarillo Sky held off Fugitif to land the Paddy Power-sponsored 2m handicap chase. The Tizzard stable was breaking a two-year drought at the track.

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