Charlie McCarthy was overcome with emotion after Kopek Des Bordes won the opening race on Day 1 at Cheltenham.
The Willie Mullins-trained horse came first in The Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Tuesday afternoon.
McCarthy owns Kopek Des Bordes and speaking to ITV before, he insisted that it’d would be a joyous occasion regardless of the result.
“Nervous, naturally. But look, he’s a superb horse, he’s something special, something that I dreamt about all my life and my boys did.
“He’s a decent horse. Win, lose or draw, we’ll celebrate.”
McCarthy then spoke on his own recent personal battle: “I had my right kidney removed, cancerous, on the 26th of February.”
He got visibly emotional before paying tribute to his horse again: “But he kept me going. Sorry… He kept me going through all of it.”
“This is a dream come true,” McCarthy added: “Hopefully he will.”
And it was in fact Kopek Des Bordes that was first past the post ahead of William Munny and Romeo Coolio.
McCarthy was seen hugging the other members of his team, with the emotion clear to see on his face following a huge victory.
Jockey Paul Townend reflected on the win afterwards and said: “Perfect start. Got in a lovely position, good gallop early, was in front sooner than I wanted to be, a good jump in the second-last.
“I thought Jack [Kennedy on Romeo Coolio] [would] just bring it a little further.
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“So, he’s relatively inexperienced, he had enough at the stands and even when he heard the noise, missed the last, but picked up again at the back of it. He’s just a very, very good horse.”
Townend was also asked about the emotion of the occasion, with the race named after jockey Michael O’Sullivan who tragically passed away aged 24 last month.
“He’s ah… Yep,” he said whilst choking up, with the jockey also patting his arm in tribute after sealing the win.
Kopek Des Bordes, McCarthy and Townend were given huge cheers from the Cheltenham crowd on their way back from the track.
McCarthy then spoke to Racing TV and paid tribute to O’Sullivan and his family: “To be honest about it, it’s a wonderful day for me.
“Because Michael O’Sullivan, the race is called after him, he lived about 20km from me, and I’ll donate this to the O’Sullivan family, because he was a wonderful jockey.”
“I did [know him],” he added, before also saying: “To be fair about it, we’ll enjoy it.
“We’re from County Cork, the O’Sullivans and myself, and it’s an all-round occasion, and it’s wonderful to be alive today to be here to celebrate.”
“I just ran across the Irish Sea to be here!” McCarthy joked before continuing his and his team’s celebrations.
