Home By The Lee heading back to Cheltenham after Galmoy win

January 23, 2026

It’s full steam ahead to the Cheltenham Festival for Galmoy Hurdle winner Home By The Lee.

At 11 years young, Home By The Lee produced a mighty performance conceding weight all round including 9lbs to Gordon Elliott’s runner-up Staffordshire Knot to land the spoils at Gowran Park on Thursday.

In the hands of JJ Slevin, the son of Fame And Glory thrived in the deepest of stamina tests on extremely testing ground to earn an 11th win of his career and a sixth at Graded level.

He went one better in his second Galmoy appearance after narrowly going down to Royal Kahala in the 2022 renewal at odds of 80/1.

This time around he was just 3/1 and showed an attitude to die for in the closing stages with blinkers reapplied and his trainer Joseph O’Brien confirmed he’ll head back to the Stayers’ Hurdle.

“Stamina is really his main forte and when the going is tough, generally he’ll keep finding for you. JJ gave him a lovely ride, I’m very proud of the horse and everyone who looks after him at home.

“We like to space out his runs, he’s best fresh but we felt after Leopardstown he was a bit rusty. He’s a bit older, he’s 11 now and to give 9lbs to Staffordshire Knot is on paper probably as good as any of his runs.

“I don’t see why he won’t run in the Stayers’ Hurdle next.”

11 years young!

Two-time Grade 1 hero Home By The Lee is back in the winner’s enclosure, landing the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle for J J Slevin and @josephobrien2 @GowranPark1 pic.twitter.com/hG8qNF1g7x

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 22, 2026

Home By The Lee 40/1 for Stayers’ Hurdle glory at Cheltenham

Home By The Lee was one of the better-fancied competitors in last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle at just 13/2 before being badly hampered by a faller and unseating Slevin at the sixth flight.

Prior to that effort he was third behind Teahupoo in 2024 and fifth in 2023. He certainly won’t head back in 2025 expected to win, but there has been an 11-year-old winner of the race with Sire Du Berlais landing the spoils three years ago.

He has consistently put his best hoof forward at Leopardstown, a two-time winner of the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle.

He’s also never managed to beat Teahupoo, the hot ante-post favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle again after arguably the best performance of his career in the Christmas Hurdle last month.

There is still life in this old boy yet though and while such a gruelling outing isn’t the most ideal preparation for Cheltenham, there have been many upsets in this race over the years.

The division seems to be the strongest it’s been in a long time with JP McManus duo Honesty Policy and Impose Toi holding strong claims, as well as defending champion Bob Olinger.

O’Brien will have one more dart at it with Home By The Lee and he’s an excellent target trainer, knowing exactly how to get his string to peak for the big days.