WATCH: Laois win in Cheltenham for Portlaoise priest

placeholder image — Portlaoise PP John Byrne

Willie Mullins trains Lecky Watson to win for Msgr John Byrne and Slaneyville Syndicate

Popular Portlaoise Parish Priest Msgr John Byrne is celebrating after a big win at Cheltenham.

The Carlow native, who has made Laois and Portlaoise his home, is part of a the Slaneyville Syndicate which owns Lecky Watson which triumphed for Willie Mullins at the 2025 edition of the famous festival.

Lecky Watson was an unexpected victor from the Mullins stable in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham. The 20/1 outsider ridden by Sean O’Keeffe saw of Ballyburn, also trained by Mullins, in an all-Irish-trained field of seven which included Better Days ahead trained by Gordon Elliot.

Of the winner, Mullins said: "He has been improving all season and we just told Sean to take him a bit wider and keep out of trouble. He kept it very simple and it was an excellent ride.

"He hadn't run over three miles previously this season, but that wasn’t any sort of plan. It was just a case of getting them out and running them and we always thought he was going to be a stamina horse," he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Jockey Sean O'Keeffe, centre, celebrates with winning connections after winning The Brown Advisory Novices’ Steeple Chase with Lecky Watson on day two of the Cheltenham Racing Festival at Prestbury Park in Cheltenham, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

It's not the first big winner for Msgr Byrne and his siblings from Tullow. The syndicate have enjoyed previous big race success with Total Recall and Acapella Bourgeois.

Lar Byrne is the best known member of the family. He owned one of the most successful Cheltenham winners Hardy Eustace.