Co.Wexford jockey Jamie Codd continues his exceptional Cheltenham Festival Record, as the most successful amateur jockey in the festival’s history with 10 wins. Today he successfully partnered the Gordon Elliott trained Ravenhill to win the National Hunt Chase, the final race on day 1.
Hear Jamie’s thoughts on the race below:
Elsewhere, the Paul Nolan trained Discorama finished 3rd in the Ultima Handicap Chase, which is the 3rd year in a row Discorama has finished in the places at the Festival. In the same race, Wexford jockey Daryl Jacob partnered Kildisart to second place.
The feature race of the day, the Champion Hurdle, was won by Epatante for Nicky Henderson and Barry Geraghty, but the story of the race from a Wexford perspective was jockey Jonathan Moore partnering Darver Star into 3rd place. Darver Star began his remarkable rise through the hurdling ranks when winning a handicap hurdle in Wexford in April 2019 off a mark of 106. Today the same horse finished 3rd in the Champion hurdle rated 158. A remarkable rise.
In the opening contest, the Supreme Novices hurdle, the Nicky Henderson trained Shishkin, was successful. Shishkin won his point to point under Rob James at the Co.Wexford venue ‘Lingstown’ in November 2018. A further Wexford connection to the winner comes in the form of his dam Labarynth. The ‘Exit to Nowhere’ mare began her career in Colin Bowe’s yard, and was purchased unraced by Suzy Smith before winning 3 point to point’s for Polly Gundry. Labarynth is also a half sister to the former top hurdler ‘Voler La Vedette’ who had great success for Co. Wexford trainer Colm Murphy.
Let’s hope that we will have more Co. Wexford successes to report in tomorrow’s round-up.
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