O’Driscoll delight as 'superstar' Home By The Lee rips up the script in Stayers' Hurdle
Home By The Lee and JJ Slevin won the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) for Sean & Rose O'Driscoll and Joseph O'Brien. Pic: Healy Racing Photo
A day after Il Etait Temps made it fourth time lucky at the Cheltenham Festival, Home By The Lee eclipsed him by landing the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the fifth time of asking.
Sixth in 2022, fifth a year later, third in 2024 before unseating his rider last year, Home By The Lee became the first 11-year-old to win the Stayers’ Hurdle since Crimson Embers back in 1986.
“Never give up, that’s the moral of the story,” elated owner-breeder Seán O’Driscoll said of the winner, who defied odds of 33-1 to get the better of a rejuvenated Ballyburn with reigning champion Bob Olinger, another 11-year-old, carried out on his shield in third.
The Cork businessman added: “He has the heart of a lion and we came here with confidence but the odds were stacked against us in that he’s 11 years of age and it was his fifth attempt at the race. I don’t think any horse has won it after running in it five times.”
Not that the entire O’Driscoll family were there to see it. Son John was banned from Prestbury Park by his father!
“Home By The Lee has won 12 and been placed in five,” his father explained. “My son John has never been at a race that he’s won. He told me two weeks ago that he couldn’t come, then a few days ago he was going to change his mind and I said: ‘No John, stay away!’ So John, this is for you.”
Bagging a first Cheltenham winner was the fulfilment of a dream for the Drimoleague native and when it finally happened one of the first men to greet him was the man who had trained his Festival runner, Black Harry in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the 2007 Festival, an experience that steeled O’Driscoll for disappointment.
“Willie Mullins came up to me to congratulate me on the way in; he trained the first runner we ever had at Cheltenham, and he was running a belter in the Albert Bartlett and he came down at the last. That hardens you for Cheltenham. It’s so difficult to win here. I’ll dine out on this for a while.”
It hasn’t always been plain sailing for Home By The Lee either and O’Driscoll recalled a phone call from trainer Joseph O’Brien when the horse was struggling for form.
“He lost his way chasing and Joseph rang me one day and said: ‘I think maybe you should send him to another yard, they can freshen him up’.
“I said: ‘Are you politely telling me that I should take him away from the yard?’
“To which he replied: ‘No, I’m not’.
So I said: ‘Well, he’s not going anywhere’. Joseph is an amazing trainer.”
O’Brien was equally effusive about his owner, jockey JJ Slevin, and the horse.
“I’m so delighted for Seán O’Driscoll and his family as they bred him and he's an 11-year-old and they’ve been with him all the way. He’s as tough as nails. It was a huge team effort by everyone at home.
“He’s all stamina and JJ gave him a fantastic ride. He made all the right moves at every stage.
Of all the horses I’ve ever trained he’s the winningmost in number of wins. We’ve had him since maybe he just turned four, so he’s been there a long time. He trains every day with enthusiasm and when he’s off he gets bored. He loves his work, loves his job, loves his racing and has never had a lame step in his life. He’s a superstar.”
Slevin added: “He was on fire in the ring beforehand, Joseph told me he was flying. For him to come and win it is just unreal.
“I’ve been with him every step of the way and that’s down to two people, Seán and Rose O’Driscoll. I’ve had good days and also had bad days, and it’s on the bad days that you need people behind you. He’s been a great horse.”
