Graham’s Paddy’s Day glee

GREAT EXPECTATIONS rarely amount to anything at Cheltenham and so it was for the Irish here yesterday – unless you were Graham Lee.

After scoring five winners on the first two days, there was genuine anticipation among the green masses that they could possibly rack up at least as many as the record of eight set in 1958. With it being St. Patrick's Day as well, there was an even greater spring in the step of the punting Paddy.

But, after the Ladbroke World Hurdle when Graham Wylie's Inglis Drever finally shattered the Baracouda legend, Graham Lee was by far the happiest Irishman in the place, having racked up a third winner to bolster his chances of winning the Festival jockey's title.