Home By The Lee much too strong in Liverpool Hurdle

Home By The Lee followed up his Stayers’ Hurdle success at the Cheltenham Festival with a dominant display in the Jet2 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Joseph O’Brien’s 11-year-old was a shock 33-1 winner at Prestbury Park, but was much shorter in the betting at 5-1 to complete a double last achieved by Sire du Berlais in 2023.

Given an enterprising ride by J J Slevin, Home By The Lee was asked to stride on during the second circuit of the three-mile Grade One and although some of the leading names were stacked up waiting to make their challenge entering the home straight, one by one they wilted as the veteran galloped to a seven-length success.

O’Brien said: “He’s been a star for a number of years and we’ve obviously been learning about him as well.

“He’s run great in a lot of staying races, but if you asked me at the start of the year whether I thought he’d win the two races at Cheltenham and here, you’d be dreaming to think that.

“We had a plan today that once they got down the back straight J J was going to inject the pace and he really stepped it up down the back. We said whoever was going to win today was going to outstay us and he outstayed all of them.

“Everyone said the track didn’t suit him here, but we’ve been riding him a little bit differently and we were happy enough that we could take the blame for his two trips here before.

“He’s obviously an older horse, but he’s just in great shape and we felt if we could get him here in the same shape as he was at Cheltenham and employ similar tactics, that he could potentially outstay them again today.”

Slevin jumped off Home By The Lee upon returning to the winner’s enclosure after he became flighty and was quickly led away, with the winning photographs taken in his absence.

“He’s a superstar but he is a tricky customer. He’s not an easy horse to deal with, but he’s always like that before and after his races,” O’Brien added.

“He could go to Punchestown, or we might wait and go to Auteuil (French Champion Hurdle). He’s run in that before and I’d say potentially we’ll go there.”

Dan Skelton’s 18-1 chance Take No Chances was best of the rest in second, with 5-2 favourite Honesty Policy unable to back-up last year’s Grade One victory in novice company on Merseyside in third.

Skelton said: “What can you say, she’s an absolute superstar.

“She’s had a good season but that’s her best yet. We love her to bits.”