Cheltenham Festival 2019: Siruh Du Lac makes all under Lizzie Kelly to win the Festival Plate
Siruh Du Lac fought off Janika to land the £110,000 handicap at odds of 9-2
LIZZIE KELLY expertly steered Siruh Du Lac to a gutsy win in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase.
Nick Williams's upwardly mobile chaser made virtually all the running and held on in determined fashion.
Lizzie Kelly was positive from the outset aboard Siruh Du Lac, who was sent off the 9-2 second favourite.
The pair looked vulnerable as several challengers, headed by the favourite Janika (11-4), moved into contention.
But the six-year-old found plenty for pressure to assert in the closing stages, with Janika second ahead of Spiritofthegames (6-1).
Kelly said: "They didn't give me any instructions they just said go out and do what you do. It is always lovely when you ride for people that allow you to make the decisions you want to.
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"I wasn't going to make it, I was going to sit second behind Tom Bellamy, but his folded quite easily after the first couple, so I thought I would go.
"I thought he was very impressive, especially after doing that for two miles."
She added: "Last year there was so much subtext. I was so emotional. This time I just turned in and thought, 'dear god we are going to do it again'.
"I was nervous today as I didn't want to muck it up myself. I definitely could get used to this for sure."