Running at the Festival for the fifth time, the 11-year-old led home an Irish-trained trifecta with Ballyburn (11/2) and last year’s winner, Bob Olinger (13/2) taking second and third places.

Home By The Lee, trained by Joseph O’Brien for Cork owner Seán O’Driscoll, had finished best-placed third in the 2024 renewal of the stayers’ championship.

With the eventual fourth-placed finished, the Dan Skelton-handled Kabral Du Mathan (4/1/) cruising in behind the eventual winner coming to the last, the latter found absolutely nothing in the closing stages and faded to finish fourth.

Ballyburn, who had raced with a very low head carriage in last place for most of the race, tried to come up the stands’ side rail but didn’t find any room. His rider, Paul Townend, then had to manoeuvre out and possibly lost some momentum in the process.

The Ronny Bartlett-owned Beeches Stud-bred son of Flemensfirth took the runner-up position one-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner.

“He was a summer bumper horse originally so he bounced off it today.”

JJ Slevin on 11-Y-O Home By The Lee’s remarkable @paddypower Stayers’ Hurdle triumph pic.twitter.com/utCG85bXrR

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 12, 2026

The 2025 winner, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Bob Olinger, now an 11-year-old like the winner, Home By The Lee, was third in the hands of Darragh O’Keeffe, a further length-and-a-half in arrears of Ballyburn.

Seán O’Driscoll, the owner-breeder of Home By The Lee, said:

“We came here with confidence, but the odds were stacked against us in that he’s 11 years of age, it was his fifth attempt at the race, I don’t think any horse has won it after running in it five times – the moral of the story is that there’s always a first time!”

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Having won the previous Grade 1 at 18/1 with Irancy, Champ Kiely was returned at a bigger price of 22/1.

With both Lecky Watson and Impaire Et Passe,both also from the Mullins yard, departing early in the race, Ballyburn (11/8 favourite) came more into prominence as the contest progressed.

With the Ronnie Bartlett-owned seven-year-old  leading under Paul Townend, Danny Mullins asked Champ Kiely for his effort.

He son of Ocovango battled bravely for Danny Mullins to eventually run out a comfortable six and a half length victor.

Ballyburn, in the runner-up spot, had 11 lengths to spare over Stellar Story (14/1) and Danny Gilligan in third.

Danny Mullins spoke of the good fortune of being part of his uncle’s Closutton team, saying:

“For me, I’m just so lucky to be part of the team in Willie’s. I’m just blessed to be on the team and get to ride some of the good ones on these days.”

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