De Bromhead continues Cheltenham hot streak as O'Keefe and Heart Wood gallop to Ryanair Chase victory

Paying tribute to Heart Wood, O’Keeffe said: 'He jumped brilliant. I got into a great rhythm'

Darragh O’Keeffe on Heart Wood celebrates after winning the Ryanair Chase. Pic: Tom Maher/Inpho

How do you replace the irreplaceable? It’s a question that has flummoxed Manchester United ever since Alex Ferguson announced his retirement 13 years ago. But not all transitions are messy. Ruby Walsh to Paul Townend was seamless. And, on the evidence to date, Rachael Blackmore to Darragh O’Keeffe has been similarly smooth.

That said, the Cork jockey still felt pressure going into his first Cheltenham as Henry de Bromhead’s main jockey. That’s what happens when you’re riding for a man who has hasn’t drawn a Festival blank since 2016.