MEMORIES of Klairon Davis? The 1995 Arkle for starters, when he stayed on strongly up the run-in under the whipless Franny Woods to get home by a half a length from Sound Man in an Irish 1-2.

The Arthur Moore-trained gelding was one of just four Irish-trained winners at Cheltenham that year.

The 1996 Champion Chase, when Sound Man and Viking Flagship went toe-to-toe from the top of the hill. It looked like Klairon Davis, who had arrived there on the back of a less than ideal preparation, was beaten when he made a bad mistake at the ditch at the top of the hill, and the front pair moved away from him on the run down the hill.

But Chris Jones’ horse kept in touch as they raced to the home turn and, taken to the outside by Woods on the run to the last, jumped that obstacle upsides and stayed on best of all up the hill.

There was the BMW Handicap Chase at Punchestown six weeks later, when he had to give 4lbs to Sound Man but still beat him by 10 lengths. And there was the same BMW Handicap Chase back at Punchestown 12 months later, when he gave 17lbs to all his rivals, good horses like Arctic Kinsman and Big Matt and Idiot’s Venture and Lord Dorcet and Opera Hat, and beat them easily.

Expertly managed by Arthur Moore, Chris Jones’ horse went six for six as a novice hurdler – he was only beaten once over hurdles – and he won 13 times over fences and finished in the first three 29 times. He leaves some legacy.