'Best day ever' - Shropshire jockey Henry Crow on his historic Cheltenham Festival triumph
Shropshire jockey Henry Crow expressed his pride at etching his name into the history books with a win at the Cheltenham Festival.
Ice-cool Crow rode Barton Snow to victory in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase on the final day of the festival last Friday.
The amateur jockey, from Hadnall, sat motionless alongside Its On The Line and Derek O’Connor all the way to the final fence, finding enough on the run-in to score by a neck.
A huge smile beamed across Crow's face as he stood in the winner's circle.
He told Racing TV: "You kind of etch yourself in immortality now, don't you? The Cheltenham Festival, the biggest there is.
"I just feel so proud and this is probably the best day ever, isn't it? You can't take it away now, can you?"
Crow was also delighted to get one over his father, Alastair, a former champion point-to-point rider who never won that race.
"He never won this, so now I've got him, got one over him," he added.
His win also maintained a further family connection to the race: his grandmother, Sheila, trained Cappa Bleu to victory in 2009.
Crow's success with Barton Snow marked a memorable first win in the race for Cheshire trainer Joe O’Shea.
The Shropshire jockey said: "It's just a privilege to win the race and I'm just so happy that Joe chose me and I'm riding his horses. I just feel very grateful to him.
"Joe actually gave me my very first winner on my very first ride in the point-to-point at Chaddesley Corbett.
"Then he gave me my first ride in the Fox Hunters on his probably most famous horse, Cottage Oak, who was 15 at the time and I was 16. So I've got so much to thank to Joe."
Crow's performance was described as the ride of the festival by legendary jockey Sir Anthony McCoy, to which Crow responded: "It's easy when you are on a good horse, isn't it?"
Its On The Line, who Barton Snow beat by a neck, was the 7-2 favourite.
Asked how his riding has developed, Crow said: "My riding has come on loads over the last two years and I feel like I'm riding well.
"Joe's last seven runners now have been six winners and a second. So it's a good strike rate. I'm just privileged to be riding for him."
