HORSE racing fans saluted the North-East yesterday as a County Durham trainer and jockey secured their places among the sport's elite.

Trainer Howard Johnson and jockey Graham Lee beat the odds to claim the titles of leading trainer and jockey on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival yesterday.

It was the icing on the cake for the pair who, along with multi-millionaire Graham Wylie, managed three victories at one of the biggest festivals on the racing calendar.

The team may have missed out on the festival's blue riband event, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but there was little room for disappointment after the team's best ever week in racing.

Last night, Mr Johnson's wife, Sue, said that everyone was "on top of the world".

She said: "We are coming home with beautiful trophies and a lot of fantastic memories.''

Until this week, Mr Johnson had only had one winner at the Cheltenham festival and that was 12 years ago.

Yesterday, in his home town of Crook, punters at Ladbrokes, in Hope Street, were urging him on to victory in the Gold Cup.

Clutching betting slips in hand, they willed 11-year-old Grey Abbey to take the title as it took its usual position at the head of the field.

Barry Moore, who has backed all of Mr Johnson's horses throughout the festival, thought he had a good chance of winning.

He said: "I have backed it because it stands a good chance. Johnson's horses all train uphill and this is how they stay in races like this.''

You could almost feel the tension as the horses passed the hordes of racegoers in the stand for the first time with Grey Abbey in the lead.

"That's it lad," said one punter, "Keep him going, he could do this.''

But the final few fences took their toll and there was an air of disappointment as punters realised the race was over for Grey Abbey.

The horse eventually finished a creditable fifth in what proved to be its last race.

After the race, Mrs Johnson said: "We always knew Grey Abbey was probably going to be retired and he has done very well. He has finished sound and that is the best we could wish for.

"He has won three good races this year and he is a hero - a legend to us. This is absolutely far and away the best time we have ever had.''

* See Echo Sport & Motors for a full Cheltenham round-up.