Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- irishracing.com
- Cheltenham
- News
- Finn's mudlark gains first win on good ground
Mark Nunan
Finn's mudlark gains first win on good ground
Youceeyouceecee and Billy Lee (near side) win from Fascinating Spirit (noseband)
© Photo Healy Racing
The Thanks To All The Frontline Workers From Cork Racecourse Handicap (Div I) was won by Youceeyouceecee (17/2, from 12s first show) completing a quick 40/1 double for Billy Lee.
Most form students would have drawn a line through the 8-year-old confirmed mudlark on today’s good ground, but after being held up towards the rear, Lee switched his mount to race against the stands’ rail and the Rock Of Gibraltar gelding passed plenty of rivals in the final furlong to score by half a length. Fascinating Spirit finished second having been prominent throughout, just ahead of Woods with the 9/2 favourite Silk Cravat in fourth.
The winner’s five previous wins had all come on soft or heavy ground, and he’d been well down the field on his first start of the campaign at Naas.
Winning trainer Susan Finn, a sister of the winning rider, said: “It was a bit of a shock but Billy (Lee) did fancy him as our horses weren't right a couple of weeks ago and he ran terribly.
"I was worried the ground was too fast but they went some pace on it.
"He is a paddly, bad mover but when they get a bit of age, they know how to mind themselves and the minute he started passing horses, he was flying it.
"We are running out of options as he is getting old but this is brilliant."
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes