ANYONE watching RacingTV last Saturday will have enjoyed a few decades of replays of the Whitbread Gold Cups, traditionally the big chase finale of the National Hunt season.

In the 80s and 90s it attracted the top chasers, won by Desert Orchid in 1988 and by the Grand National winner Mr Frisk two years later. In recent years, under different sponsors, it has lost a lot of its attraction and quality – Henllan Harri anyone?

In the last 30 years there have been three Irish-trained winners.

One of the best chasers trained by Aidan O’Brien, Life Of A Lord won the Whitbread in 1996, ridden by Charlie Swan.

He had already won the Galway Plate in 1995 as a nine-year-old with Trevor Horgan on board in an one-two-three finish in the race for O’Brien, with Kelly’s Pearl second and Loshian third.

In 1996, the 10-year-old had finished seventh to Rough Quest in the Grand National a month previously and lined up in a high class contest at Sandown which included previous Gold Cup and King George winners, Jodami now an 11-year-old and Barton Bank, with Arthur Moore’s Feathered Gale sent off favourite.

He moved into contention before the railway fences and jumping well over the Pond Fence, made the best of his way home from there.

Owned by popular Co Galway hotelier Michael Clancy and a graduate of Tom Costello’s famed nursery, the following year he won his second Galway Plate carrying 12st.

......................................

Ted Walsh has trained some high-class chasers in his time and he added a Whitbread Gold Cup win with the 10-year-old Jack High, 15 years ago.

The gelding started at 16/1 in the colours of northern owner Mrs Brenda Ross and was ridden by Gareth Cotter, who had partnered him into second place behind Numbersixvalverde in the Irish Grand National the month before.

This was the year that Martin Pipe was engaged in a bitter battle for the British trainers’ title with Paul Nicholls and Pipe saddled no less than seven runners in the colours of David Johnson.(Nicholls had three runners) in the race. Over the final fence however, it looked a battle between Mick Fitzgerald on Juveigneur and Jamie Snowden on Whitenzo. The favourite Kelami joined them after the last but it was Jack High, challenging between horses that got up to win. He returned for the next two renewals, finishing fourth in 2007.

...........................................

For the 2010 renewal, the race had become the Bet365 Gold Cup and saw another Irish winner when Church Island gave the 7lb claimer Adrian Heskin his first big win in Britain, staying on well to beat Hoo La Baloo by six lengths.

The gelding was bred by Jim Bolger, by Erin’s Isle who he raced, and ran in the colours of Beef Or Salmon’s owner Joe Craig. He was consisent at top level and narrowly missed out in some big handicaps.

Church Island had bravely tried to make all the running with talented 7lb claimer Luke McNiff when beaten two lengths into second place by Niche Market in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, the previous year when he had also finished fourth in the Sandown feature. He also missed out by a length in the Kerry National to Northern Alliance that autumn.

On this occassion, was always prominent, he led after the 14th of the 24 fences and stretched field heading back for home. Taking the Pond Fence in the lead, he forged clear from there and never looked in doubt as he stayed on well to oblige at 20/1 for his young pilot.