Party time after Flooring Porter sends black and white army into ecstasy

Thursday: Stayers' Hurdle, Cheltenham

They might have missed out on the celebrations last year but boy did the Flooring Porter Syndicate make up for it this time around after their champion retained his crown in fabulous style.

With the Paisley Park camp decked out in their hero's colours and not one member of the huge travelling fan club of Flooring Porter without a black and white scarf to match the silks of their star, it almost felt like standing on the terraces of a cup final in the paddock.

But from the moment Danny Mullins seized the early lead on Flooring Porter, it was his supporters who were making all the noise. As Mullins dictated, the shouts got louder and louder, reaching a thunderous crescendo as Flooring Porter cleared the last and scampered away from his rivals to register a two-and-three-quarter-length verdict over Thyme Hill, with former Stayers' Hurdle winner Paisley Park a further nose away in third.

By that stage the black and white army were going berserk, with one member of the pack suggesting as many as 100 supporters had been aboard the early-morning flight from Ireland to see a victory they had to watch from afar last year due to coronavirus restrictions.

Stayers' Hurdle: full result and race replay

At the heart of the celebrations were Ned Hogarty, father and son Tommy and Alan Sweeney and Kerril Creaven, who, strictly speaking, own Flooring Porter, although he clearly means so much to so many from the County Galway town of Ballinasloe.

"It's a dream come true," said an overwhelmed Hogarty. "To be here and have a dual Stayers' Hurdle winner is fantastic – it will never be forgotten.

"We came here hopeful. The rain yesterday probably didn't play to our strengths but it worked out. Danny gave him a right ride! We all needed this at home. It's been a strange couple of years and this is a morale boost."

Hogarty owns a flooring business in Galway, while Alan Sweeney and Creaven previously owned the Countryman pub in nearby Creagh, which is how the name Flooring Porter was conceived.

The four owners acquired the horse "for handy money" after seeing an advert on trainer Gavin Cromwell's Facebook page, while the black and white silks resemble as closely as possible the colour of a pint of Guinness, or Porter as the famous stout was once named. On St Patrick's Day, Flooring Porter was certainly a popular winner.

Hogarty added: "If anyone had told me after last year he wouldn't win again until now I wouldn't have believed them. It's been a tough year – he tipped up in the Lismullen Hurdle and last time [in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown] it just didn't work out great, but we've reversed the form with Klassical Dream, thank God.

"The horse was due it, we were due it, the parish was due it and the country was due it! Hopefully we'll all celebrate in comfort now and drink a few pints on Paddy's Day. These are memories we'll never forget."

Flooring Porter clears away from Champ and Paisley Park in the Stayers' HurdleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Renowned for being a bit of a hothead, Flooring Porter was impeccably behaved in front of the biggest crowd he had encountered and, despite a slight jink after the last, he never really looked like relinquishing his crown.

Cromwell said: "I know everything went perfectly to plan and he behaved himself at the start but he's really grown up now. He was foot-perfect everywhere and Danny was fantastic on him. He jumped the third-last, then stacked them up and filled the horse up. He made it look easy.

"I was worried he was going to get done for a turn of foot but he knew what he was doing and knew what he was sitting on. From here, everything will lead back to this race in 12 months' time."

Mullins, who was hoisted high into the air by the winner's huge entourage, added: "He's a top-class horse and credit to him for doing the job. Gavin planned the whole season around this and brought the horse over a few days early just to allow the gas to get out of the his system.

"To see a small syndicate buy a horse for a relatively small price and win the Stayers' Hurdle, that's what makes racing special. It can be done."

Read these next:

'Danny Mullins, take a bow' – Fitzgerald and Walsh on super Flooring Porter ride

'He's still got it' – Emma Lavelle heaps praise on gallant Paisley Park

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