ONE of the best stories in Irish racing last week was the success of She Is Electric in the listed mares’ hurdle at Gowran Park.

Trained in Gort, Co Galway, by Norman Lee, the €8,200 purchase She Is Electric upset the odds by holding off the Willie Mullins-trained favourite Champagne Problem in the closing stages.

It was the eighth winner of the new season for Norman, who also owns the mare with Eddie Naughton from Roscommon. It was also a landmark winner for jockey Robbie Geoghegan, who was unable to use his 7lb claim in the blacktype race.

Norman was still on a high when we spoke to him this week. “We are a small outfit but we try to do things to a high standard and we are always looking for a better quality of horse. My partner Alice Gordon and Samantha Hayes are key members of the team, and Robbie is a very hard worker who deserves all the success he gets. He has ridden about 30 winners in point-to-points”

She Is Electric could go to the Cheltenham on Friday week (October 21st) for another blacktype race. “She’s a good mare,” he said. “We’ve always thought a lot of her and that’s how she got the name – she was electric to jump from the word ‘go’.

“She just had some niggly problems in her early days and didn’t always have ground conditions to her liking. She should get good ground at Cheltenham. If she’s not sold we will aim her at all the top mares’ races. She’s well-bred and related to a lot of winners.”

Originally from Tubber in Co Clare, Norman has held a licence for less than 10 years and he is best known for his handling of Sole Pretender. Winner of nine races, Sole Pretender recently finished third in the Grade 3 novice chase at Roscommon and he is another who could be on the boat to Cheltenham next weekend.