TRIPS down memory lane are great, and they are even better when they concern an event that one attended in person. Such was the case with Cheltenham 1996. It was only 20 years ago, but the memories of those three days will remain forever with me.

Cheltenham escaped the worst of the weather that year, which saw scheduled meetings elsewhere in Britain abandoned because of snow.

The first day of the festival meeting was cold, with sleet showers, but Irish hearts got an early lift when Ventana Canyon sprinted 20 lengths clear to come up the hill a magnificent winner of the Guinness Arkle Chase.

Richard Dunwoody was on board the Edward O’Grady-trained winner, though they, owner Philip Myerscough, and many who backed the 7/1 shot had a moment’s panic when the son of Un Desperado made a careless mistake out in the country. However, they recovered to take the lead after the second-last fence and from then on the result was never in doubt.

It was the sole Irish success on the opening day, though the Ferdy Murphy-trained Stop The Waller with Ken Whelan in the saddle, would have had plenty of support. Danoli started favourite for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle but had to settle for fourth behind Collier Bay, Alderbrook and Pridwell.

FOUR-TIMER

Day two was even colder on the course, but it was a day of great cheer for the Irish challenge. The 1995 Arkle Chase winner Klairon Davis was back to take on the older brigade in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and he emerged victorious by five lengths over Viking Flagship who was bidding for three in a row. Chris Jones’ wonderful two-miler was trained by Arthur Moore and ridden by Franny Woods.

Their win came just over half an hour after Charlie Swan gave a powerful ride to land the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Urubande. Martin St Quinton owned the son of Phardante who went on two weeks later to add the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.

Edward O’Grady doubled up at the meeting when Loving Around, in the colours of Lord Tavistock of Woburn Abbey, was a comprehensive winner of the four-mile National Hunt Chase, giving her rider Philip Fenton no problems, apart from a mistake at the first!

Only four of the 23 runners in the BI Group Festival Bumper started at less than 10/1 and two of these were trained in Ireland. Jim Bolger’s Graduated was tailed off, but the other one was the winner Wither Or Which, ridden to a two-length victory by his trainer Willie Mullins. Robert Sinclair’s winner was Mullins’ only runner in the race, one which he was to dominate for many years.

In fact only five of the runners were trained in Ireland, Noel Meade, Pat Flynn and Eddie Kearns saddling the other challengers.

DAY THREE

The third day started badly, with Magical Lady finishing runner-up in the Daily Express Triumph Hurdle and then being disqualified and placed last, earning Charlie Swan six days in the sin bin. Michael Cunningham’s Derrymoyle was sent off favourite for the Bonusprint Stayers’ Hurdle, but he had no answer to Cyborgo, Mysilv and the Mouse Morris runner What A Question.

Those disappointments were soon forgotten when the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup went off almost 10 minutes after the advertised starting time. There were amazing scenes in the winner’s enclosure to welcome back Imperial Call, trained by Fergie Sutherland and ridden to success by Conor O’Dwyer. The Lisselan Farms-owned gelding was the first winner of racing’s blue riband in a decade trained in Ireland, Dawn Run having won it in 1986.

Edward O’Grady saddled Kerry Orchid for the Christies Foxhunter Chase and the grey ran his heart out, but he had to settle for third behind Ireland’s seventh winner of the meeting, Elegant Lord. The JP McManus eight-year-old could be called the winner a long way from home, and this was a hugely significant triumph for Enda Bolger who trained and rode him.

It was the only time in four attempts at the race that Bolger was in the saddle and the horse he beat on the day, Cool Dawn, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup two years later.

With seven of the 20 races falling to Irish challengers, 1996 represented one of the best years for horses trained in Ireland.

For the record, the 13 British-trained winners were Indefence and Nahthen Lad (Jenny Pitman), Collier Bay (Jim Old), Maamur (Captain Tim Forster), Stop The Waller and Paddy’s Return (Ferdy Murphy), Great Easeby (Wilf Storey), Trainglot (Jimmy Fitzgerald), Old Bridge (Andy Turnell), Cyborgo and Challenger Du Luc (Martin Pipe), Kibreet (Philip Hobbs) and Star Rage (Jimmy Harris).

All but seven of the winners were bred in Ireland. France and Britain supplied three winners each, while there was a single American-bred winner.