Walsh stars for second time
Katie Walsh heads up the hill on Thousand Stars
Friday March 19 2010
Katie Walsh landed her second success of the Cheltenham Festival when steering Thousand Stars to victory in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle.
Walsh, younger sister of top jockey Ruby, brought Willie Mullins' 20-1 shot with a perfectly timed run to lead at the last and power up the hill to the line.
Dee Ee Williams led nearing the second-last before being grabbed by Thousand Stars, and Walsh - who won earlier in the week on Poker De Sivola - kept her mount going to beat the strong-finishing Arcalis by three lengths.
The jockey said: "I can't believe it, this is unbelievable, you cannot write this stuff. When I got to the front he pricked his ears.
"I must say a big thank you to Willie Mullins. He has been fantastic to me, he didn't have to leave me on this horse, but he did. I was unlucky in the Pierse (MCR Hurdle)."
Mullins added: "I'm delighted, and Katie is so cool and a fantastic rider.
"Even though she rides as an amateur, she's got the brain of a professional and is fit and well. I love putting her up so it's fantastic for her, fantastic for me and everyone."
