Wexford jockeys excelled at Cheltenham Festival 2025

Wexford connections enjoyed a successful week at the Cheltenham Festival, with several jockeys achieving notable victories. Jockeys Seán Flanagan, Seán O’Keeffe, Rob James, and Barry Stone all celebrated wins. Barry Stone, riding for trainer Paul Nolan, had a memorable victory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup. On Wednesday, jockey Seán Flanagan achieved an emotional win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, riding Marine Nationale. This victory marked Flanagan’s second win at the Festival, a bittersweet moment as he paid tribute to his late friend, jockey Michael O’Sullivan, who had previously guided the horse to victory. Flanagan also performed well in other races, finishing second in the Supreme Novices Hurdle and third in two other events. Seán O’Keeffe also had a great day, winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase on Lecky Watson, another horse that O’Sullivan had high hopes for. Barry Stone's victory was particularly special, as it was his first competitive outing in Britain. He expressed his joy, saying, “It’s magical stuff. I’ve been dreaming of it for years.” His brother, Conor Stone-Walsh, narrowly missed out on a win, finishing second in another race. Rob James rounded out the week with a victory on Wonderwall in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup, marking his second Festival win and further showcasing Wexford's strong presence at the event. The Festival highlighted the talent coming from the Wexford area and their continued success in horse racing.