Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir

Challenge Cup Amateur

Jockeys’ Handicap Chase

BARRY Stone picked quite the way to notch his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Daily Present, trading as big as 129/1 in-running and getting the better of Derek O’Connor on Johnnywho in a driving finish to the 2025 Kim Muir.

It had looked as though the legendary amateur had another Festival win incoming aboard J.P. McManus’ 9/2 favourite, with the Jonjo O’Neill-trained fancy trading as short as 1/10 on the exchanges, when in front at the last.

However, Stone, riding for his fellow Wexford native Paul Nolan, saved enough on last year’s fifth to prevail by a neck at 12/1 - well-backed from a morning price of 40/1. The front two drew a whole 11 lengths clear of Patrick Mullins on Sa Majeste.

Stone, a nephew of Benny Walsh and a brother of Conor Stone-Walsh with 58 point-to-point winners to his name, was a cool customer in the aftermath of his first ride in Britain.

“It is magical stuff and I’ve been dreaming of it for years growing up - nothing will top this now, I will say,” said the 25-year-old.

“It was all smooth sailing. It just got a little rough on the turn in, but he had plenty left and I was able to get him back going again. I’ve been dreaming of doing this since I was probably seven.

“It didn’t feel real at all when I crossed the line. It was just like a dream and the crowd coming back was just madness.”

Nolan, bringing up his fourth Festival winner, added: “He’s a stayer, but he was too free in the race last year. The ride that chap gave him was great, as he never left the inside. He just had to try and keep on filling him. He was brilliant on him. He is a super rider that is loaded with talent, and what a pair of hands he has.

“I definitely thought Johnnywho was coming back, but I knew my lad would stay. However, when I saw Derek rallying, I thought we were done. We are just so delighted.

“It means everything walking back in here to the winner’s enclosure; normally you are walking into where the beaten horses go. At least they have improved that area, because it was all muck before and you had wet, cold feet and a bad result, so you were getting hit with a double whammy!”