Imperial Call hits rich vein of form to land main event

ONCE he bounded into the lead over the fourth-last fence, there was no stopping, Imperial Call. He swept up the hill to a majestic four-length triumph in yesterday's Tote Gold Cup from Rough Quest and Couldnt Be Better, with the hot favourite, One Man, trailing home a dejected sixth.

Success for Elegant Lord in the Foxhunters gave Ireland its second winner of the day and seventh for the Festival, the best tally since 1977, when we also had seven winners, and just one short of the 1958 record tally. Once again Irish-bred horses dominated. Imperial Call was the 19th Irish-trained winner of the Gold Cup and the 187th overall since 1945. Seven winners, five on Wednesday and two yesterday, were sold at Tattersalls in Ireland.

It was a privilege to witness this second season novice capture the blue rib and of steeplechasing. The first seven-year-old to succeed since Little Owl in 1981 and the first Irish-trained winner since Dawn Run 10 years ago, Imperial Call gave trainer Fergie Sutherland and jockey Conor O'Dwyer their first Festival wins.

The scenes of celebration that greeted this great chaser, as he threaded his way warily through a gauntlet of cheering fans before entering the unsaddling enclosure, would have done Arkle and Dawn Run proud. The gatemen hadn't an earthly as a great throng of ecstatic Irish fans burst through. Miniature tricolours were produced and waved delightedly as the huge crowds overlooking the enclosure gave vent to their feelings.

O'Dwyer was hoisted aloft and for the benefit of the popular West Cork trainer, the crowd burst into the Cork anthem, The Banks of my own Lovely Lee.

Wreathed in smiles, Sutherland said: "He did it very stylishly didn't he. He jumped like a buck and certainly enjoyed his afternoon. He put them In their place today and he's improving every day. I haven't been to Cheltenham for 30 years and this is the only way to come back."

He had nothing but praise for O'Dwyer, who is performing brilliantly this season and clinched yesterday's ride after winning the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup. "He rode a copy-book race. I told him to keep the horse wide, to keep him jumping and kick on when he could. When it works, it looks good, doesn't it?"

Sutherland (64), who trains just six horses near Macroom, bought Imperial Call and Coming On Strong for Lisselan Farms Ltd in a £20,000 package deal from Tom Costello, who also sold on Gold Cup winners Midnight Court, The Thinker and Cool Ground. One Man is another product of the Costello school. Originally from Peebleshire, Scotland, and a product of Eton and Sandhurst,

Sutherland lost a leg when stepping on a mine when serving in the Korean war. Always a keen huntsman, the accident did not prevent him riding to hounds.

On his return to England, he was assistant trainer to Geoffrey Brook and then Joe Lawson. He then set up his own stables at Newmarket and after moving to Ireland in 1967, he saddled his first winner at Limerick the following year. He once trained the subsequent Irish Grand National winner Ebony Jane and Multum In Parvo, who later won a Mackeson Gold Cup for John Edwards.

When you are travelling so well it is easy, O Dwyer said. He was going very smoothly at the top of the hill and coming to the last I was still expecting Richard (Dunwoody) on One Man to challenge. I looked around, I went and looked the wrong way. But I, could see Rough Quest behind, me, but my lad was probably just idling a bit up the hill and I am sure there would have been a bit more.

"We just had a little worry the good ground, but it has not stopped him. His jumping was very good today, for a relative novice, so he should be good next year. I have never seen anything like the reception - it was unbelievable.

Imperial Call will now be rested, but will be back for next year's Gold Cup for which he is already quoted as low as 7 to 2. He certainly did Ireland proud yesterday.

Both trainer Gordon Richards and jockey Dunwoody were baffled with One Man's performance. The horse finished legless after he and Imperial Call had the race between them at the top of the hill. However, he also flopped in the Sun Alliance Chase here two years ago. Rough Quest is likely to run in the Irish Grand National. Monsieur Le Cure unfortunately broke his back.

An incident-packed Triumph Hurdle - several falls, one fatality, a disqualification and a six-day suspension for Charlie Swan was won convincingly by Paddy's Return and Dunwoody. Trained by Ferdie Murphy, who sent out Stop The Waller to win Tuesday's Kim Muir Chase, and owned by Galwegian Pat O'Donnell, a Cricklewood-based publican, Paddy's Return had his race won shortly after landing over the last and beat Magical Lady by four lengths. The winner had been beaten six lengths by Debutante Days on his previous appearance at Sandown, but this time the latter, who started favourite, obligingly fell at the first.

Swan's mount Magical Lady, who attempted to make all the running, was disputing the lead with Reveillon when she veered across and brought down the Noel Meade-trained Embellished and Paul Carberry, just before rising to the last. Embellished was certainly going well at the time. Swan's suspension starts on the 23 rd. but he will be able to ride in Ireland on Sunday week. While missing the first two days of Aintree, he will resume on Grand National day when he is booked to ride the Aidan O'Brien-trained Life Of A Lord in the Grand National.

Born To Be Wild unfortunately broke a leg on the flat. Her trainer, Martin Pipe, lost two horses on the opening day, including the promising young chaser Draborgie. Monsieur Le Cure was another sad loss and altogether 10 horses lost their lives over the three days.

Pipe's fortunes took a turn for the better when Cyborgo, runner-up to Doran's Pride in last year's Bonusprint Stayers Hurdle, went one better in the extended three-mile race. He just got the better of Mysilv after a dour battle from before the last. Pipe and David Bridgwater completed a double with Challenger Du Luc in the Cathcart Cup.

The Enda Bolger-trained and ridden Elegant Lord came home a very easy winner of the Foxhunters. JP McManus's eight-year-old certainly made up for his disappointing performance in last year's renewal.

Of the Cheltenham fatalities, the highest profile belonged to Monsieur Le Cure, whose life came to an end in a grotesque somersault at the sixth fence of the Gold Cup. The racecourse vet reported that the gelding, may have been dead when he hit the turf.

The Festival always takes its toll of horses as it is the most competitive and furious meeting in the calendar. The fast ground and consequently fast paces this week have exacerbated the problem.

While Martin Pipe recorded a double yesterday, nobody mentioned the word consolation.

The last few days have been the worst of my training life," he said. "But you've only got to look at what happened to those poor children and their teacher in Scotland yesterday to put everything into perspective."

Richard Johnson picked up his second whip ban of the Festival, and will miss the Grand National meeting. David Nicholson's highly-rated conditional was adjudged to have used his whip with unreasonable frequency aboard Air Shot, the runner-up in the Cathcart Cup, and was banned for four days (March 27th-30th).