By Andrew Atkinson
Porlock Bay got a photo-finish verdict over Billaway tipped by fromthehorsesmouth.info to land the St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters Chase over 3m 2f.
“I’m very lucky,” said Porlock Bay’s jockey Lorcan Williams after victory on the 16-1 shot.
“I can’t believe it. He was jumping so well down the back straight and I didn’t want to hit the front too soon,” added Williams.
Ten-year-old Porlock Bay got the nod over Willie Mullins trained Billaway (2-1f) ridden by Paul Townend, with Staker Wallace (9-1), third, in the 18 runners field.
Trainer and former jockey Will Biddick who rode a winner at the Festival, said: “It’s much harder getting winners as a trainer. It was an absolute peach of a ride – and luckily he held on.”
*Rachael Blackmore was crowned the champion jockey at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival.
Image courtesy Cheltenham Racecourse Twitter
