HEART EXHIBITION

Wood you believe it? O'Keeffe revels in a starring role after hotpot is dramatically withdrawn

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DARRAGH O'KEEFFE proved a good fit in Rachael Blackmore's shoes as Heart Wood toasted an absent friend in the Ryanair Chase.

O'Keeffe, who took over as Henry de Bromhead's stable jockey when Blackmore brought her legendary riding career to a close last May, enjoyed his first Cheltenham Festival success in the role as the 9-2 shot scored by 10 lengths.

With hot favourite and defending champion Fact To File pulled out on account of drying ground, the eight-year-old strode away up the hill to better his second placing of 12 months ago.

"His run last year was very solid," said 25-year-old O'Keeffe, registering his second Cheltenham Festival triumph.

"With the favourite out, I thought that if he put in the same performance - and he seemed to be better this year - that he could be bang there."