Ironically, he had been on stablemate, Nine De Sivola in the Scottish National. Lee was aboard Hot Weld in the 2007 Betfred Gold Cup as the horse posted the first ever double of the Scottish National and Betfred Gold Cup. Lee has taken two rides in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, finishing 5th on Grey Abbey after leading for the majority of the race in 2005, and Ballycassidy in 2006. He was injured for the duration of the 2008 festival. He failed to make any impact in the 2006 festival, but ended a 49 race drought when winning at 20-1 on the third day of the 2007 festival. Lee won the award for top jockey at the 2005 festival (which included his first ever win at Cheltenham), and finished fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nine De Sivola was also second in the Scottish national in the same year, again missing out by just half a length.Ģ007: Nine De Sivola (2nd)2008: Did not Enter (injured) Lee has never won the Irish national, but came second in 2007 when riding Nine De Sivola. In March, 2006, it was reported that Grey Abbey's trainer, John Howard Johnson, would bring him out of retirement for the 2006 Scottish National, but this plan was not put into action. Subsequently, Grey Abby retired just over a week before the 2005 Scottish Grand National. Lee, however, went on to win Top Jockey for the Cheltenham Festival. The horse was sent to the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, where Lee again took the ride but it was reported that the horse was injured during the race, which is thought to be the reason for it finishing fifth. He was second in the 2007 National, again on Nine De Sivola and missing out by just half a length, as in the Irish Grand National of the same year. Lee missed the 2006 National due to a virus, which would eventually end his relationship with John Howard Jonhson.
Victorious in the Scottish National in 2004, by riding topweight Grey Abbey to win by a distance Lee became one of only three jockeys, along with Brian Fletcher and Ruby Walsh, to achieve a "Grand National Double". Lee was scheduled to ride Idle Talk for Donald McCain, the son of Ginger McCain, in the 2008 Grand National, however he was ruled out after sustaining multiple fractures to the jaw several weeks earlier.Ģ003: Amberleigh House (3rd)2004: Amberliegh House (1st)2005: Amberliegh House (10th)2006: Amberliegh House (P21)2007: Joe's Edge (P20)2008: Did not enter Lee rode favourite Joe's Edge in the 2007 National, but pulled up at the 20th fence after failing to trouble the leaders. The success could not be repeated, however, as the horse achieved only tenth place in 2005, and was finally retired after being pulled up at the 21st fence in 2006. The horse was trained by Ginger McCain, who famously trained three time winner Red Rum. This achievement secured a win of over £500,000 on a fivefold accumulator bet.Īfter managing to take third place with the horse in the 2003 race, in 2004 Lee won the Grand National on Amberleigh House. In an autumn meeting of 2003 at Wetherby Racecourse, Lee achieved one of his most famous feats, by winning a quintuple of races. Now with stables of Ferdy Murphy, Lee maintains freelance status and his recent outside successeses have included a Peterborough Chase in 2006 for Henrietta Knight when partnering Racing Demon to a 4 length victory. Lee held freelance status, and rode for many other trainers during these years, most notably Ginger McCain. Lee joined the Howard Johnson team permanently in 2002, after leaving the stables of Malcolm Jefferson and was largely responsible for the schooling and on-track development of horses owned by Graham Wylie including Inglis Drever, No Refuge and Arcalis. It is expected that upon his retirement as a jockey he will become a trainer. It is speculated that he could have challenged Tony McCoy for the title had he not suffered a severe injury, a view that has been consolidated by the March victory of Naisad Du Misselot at Cheltenham.Īlthough his profile had dipped sharply among the ranks since joining Murphy, Lee has come very much back into the sport's consciousness through his involvement with several improving chasers and hurdlers, and moving into second place in the 2007-08 jockeys championship. Lee attained the feat of being only the third National Hunt jockey to be in the top two positions in the National Hunt Jockey's Championship in ten years, displacing Richard Johnson. Lee became the main stable jockey and deputy trainer for Ferdy Murphy. Prior to May 2006, he was the main stable jockey for Howard Johnson, but was replaced by Paddy Brennan, allegedly after a disagreement over his return from an injury. Graham Lee (born Decemin Galway, Republic of Ireland) is a successful Irish National Hunt jockey in Great Britain and Ireland.
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