Barry's golden festival

WITH eight fewer Irish-trained winners than last year, the 2012 Cheltenham Festival won't be remembered with as much fondness as normal on these shores but one man that won't forget the week in a hurry is Barry Geraghty. The Drumree native was crowned champion jockey at the festival for the first time since 2003 after riding five winners. All of that quintet were Grade 1 winners, the highlight of which was Finian's Rainbow's dramatic victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Wishfull Thinking crashed out at the fence passing the stands on the first circuit, forcing officials to omit the final fence in the race and neither Geraghty on Finian's Rainbow or Andrew Lynch and Sizing Europe seemed to know what was happening. Eventually the pair veered around the fence and they fought out a terrific finish, with 4-1 shot Finian's Rainbow prevailing by just over a length at the line. Finian's Rainbow was the final leg of a 81-1 treble for Geraghty on Wednesday as 2-1 favourite Simonsig landed the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle with consummate ease and Bobs Worth, whom Geraghty bought as a yearling, edged out First Lieutenant in the RSA Chase. Sprinter Sacre's sizzling display in the Racing Post Arkle Chase got Geraghty's week off to the perfect start on Tuesday. Already described by Geraghty as the "most talented horse he's ever sat on", Sprinter Sacre proved the hype to be on the money as he galloped effortlessly clear of Cue Card for a seven-length victory. Riverside Theatre's last-gasp victory in Thursday's Ryanair Chase sugarcoated a fantastic week for Geraghty. "It was an incredible four days," he said. "That's my second Cheltenham jockeys' championship and I won on some of the most exciting young horses around. The traditional champagne at the weighing room party after racing never tasted better. "You should never wish your life away but I'm looking forward to 2013 already with the likes of Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig. It was nine years ago that I was leading rider for the first time and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then and I'd say I'm much more appreciative of it this time."