A former Welsh rugby hopeful became part of Cheltenham Festival folklore on Tuesday after pulling off a massive shock in the Champion Hurdle.
Lorcan Williams, who hails from Pembrokeshire, rode Golden Ace to a surprise 25-1 victory on the opening day of the Festival after previous winners Constitution Hill and State Man fell.
After claiming his first top-level Grade One win in dramatic fashion, finishing nine lengths from 66-1 outsider Burdett Road, Williams admitted it was the "best day of my life by far".
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However, it could have been so different had he chosen to pursue rugby rather than his dreams of becoming a jockey.
As a young full-back with Tenby, Williams had been part of the Scarlets' youth set-up - coming close to considering throwing his lot in with the oval ball.
"I picked what I loved," said Williams after his victory on Tuesday. "That was before any of this has happened and I feel lucky to be a part of it and on the right side of circumstances. I'm shell-shocked this has happened.
"I played rugby at quite a high level but my love of horses was always massive. I was close [to going professional in rugby] at some points but my heart overruled my head."
Williams, who played junior rugby with Ospreys wing Ryan Conbeer and former Wales U20s hooker Dom Booth, previously spoke to the BBC about his decision, saying: "Some days I think: 'My God, I wish I'd gone to the Scarlets and then I ride a winner and I'm glad I didn't.
"I was selected to play for Scarlets West and was supposed to go training with West Wales rugby league, but I was too busy pony racing to turn up!
"Rugby and racing are completely opposite sports - you're trying to get big for one and small for the other. I've always been a big lad and I was really struggling to keep the weight down to race while training for rugby.
"I was so close to choosing rugby. Some people would have grabbed the opportunity to play for Scarlets West and I was so lucky to have it, but the horses just interested me that little bit more."
Remarkably, Williams wasn't the only former Welsh rugby hopeful to ride to victory at Cheltenham on Tuesday. Ben Jones, who often played against Williams as a fly-half for Carmarthen Quins' junior section, secured the National Hunt Chase aboard Haiti Couleurs.
As well as making a small piece of history, with Golden Ace just the seventh mare to win the Champion Hurdle, it also turned around a tricky season for Williams.
A tally of nine winners is a long way behind last season's career best of 28, while Williams also came under scrutiny when disqualified for a winning ride at Newbury for overuse of the whip in December.
The 25-year-old had previously tasted Festival success with Porlock Bay in the 2021 Hunters' Chase before winning the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle last year aboard Golden Ace.
Golden Ace, who boasts an unbeaten record at Cheltenham, was nearly pencilled in to ride in the Mares' Hurdle, rather than the feature race.
However, owner Ian Gosden convinced trainer Jeremy Scott to enter the Champion Hurdle - with the decision proving inspired, with Gosden saying afterwards: "He who dares, wins, Rodney."
"Fair play to the owner – we were pushing for the Mares’ Hurdle massively, but I got his point of view from the sense that we could go for the mares’ next year because she’d be a little bit older and would see the trip out," said Williams afterwards.
"I promise you, I did not know what to expect and nothing compares to how I am feeling now. I hope this day will never end. I’m shell-shocked – every time I have come here and got a winner, it’s been a dream come true for me."
