Yet again at Cheltenham, it was the shoulder races that provided the greatest drama and the best story of the day.
The Grade One Weatherbys Champion Bumper brought Festival Wednesday to a close and saw 19-year-old amateur jockey John Gleeson and 85-year-old trainer John Kiely combine for a famous victory with A Dream To Share.
Gleeson is the son of RTÉ and ITV betting ring commentator Brian Gleeson, long known for his earnest enthusiasm in front of the camera.
He was approached by JP McManus to buy the horse and agreed with the proviso that John kept the ride for Cheltenham.
“It’s very special as we’re a small team at home, but we try our best to get to the next stage and to win,” said the jockey.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve been going to John’s with dad for as long as I can remember really, he’s 10 minutes up the road from us and I ride out this horse every day before going to school. He’s very special.”
“My mum named the horse on Christmas Day a couple of years ago. It’s very special as they’re all here today and it’s great to be here. I’d say my dad will be one proud dad, he gets a real kick out of it all and he’s very good to me and gives me plenty of support – so I’m thrilled for me. I’d say I’ve been a bit calmer than dad! He’s been very excited to come here with a horse, let alone a chance, so it’s great it has come off.”
Now it will be back to the books as he prepares to sit the Leaving Cert this year.
“It’s tremendous and it means so much,” added Dad Brian after the race. “It’s the Cheltenham Festival, my son is riding and he’s in those colours and the horse is trained by a maestro in John Kiely. It’s nearly a book.”
“The horse was named by my wife Claire. Everything in life is worth sharing and we always thought that this horse was good, on Christmas Day Claire said she would call this horse A Dream To Share, trained by John Kiely. The dream was to win at the Cheltenham Festival.”
“Everyone loves John Kiely. If you speak to Alastair Down or Brough Scott they’ll say it. This man is 86 in May and he’s had second and third placed finishes at Cheltenham and now he’s had a winner with JP McManus. It’s JP’s 70th Festival winner and John Gleeson’s first – it’s fairy tale stuff.”
We ‘only’ had one winner and one placed yesterday to add to our four winners on Tuesday but if you are willing to believe that we know more than throwing all the names up in the air and seeing whet lands, these are our selections for day three.
1-30 Mighty Potter
2-10 Thanks For The Help
2-50 Shishkin
3-30 Teahupoo
4-10 Seddon
4-50 Lucia
5-30 Western Zara
