Gold Cup winner born and bred in Galway

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

When 14/1 shot ‘Just A Par’ came from behind to take victory by a length and a quarter in the bet365 Gold Cup in Sandown last Saturday, the jubilation generated by lucky slip holders at the Surrey venue was nothing compared to the celebrations that were sparked off in the East Galway village of Killimor.

Indeed, the world could have tipped on its axis at that moment and not too many around that neck of the woods would have given a hoot for they had just seen a horse born and bred in the locality produce a quality performance to claim first prize of £85,425stg.

In doing so, Just A Par deepened the pockets of many people in Killimor and, indeed, Kiltormer – no more so than that of breeder Sean Whelan. That said, for him, the win was not about collecting winnings. For him, it was a source of great pride.

“For a small breeder from the West of Ireland, that a horse would go along and would win the 365 Gold Cup is great. We are extremely proud of the horse,” says the Lisdeligna man.

While the Grade 3 National Hunt chase – inaugurated originally as the Whitbread Gold Cup in 1957 – may not carry the same prestige as the Cheltenham Gold Cup or the Aintree Grand National, the race’s roll of honour boasts some of the greatest racehorses of all-time.

Among those to bound into the winners’ enclosure have been Arkle (1965), Mill House (1967) – trained by Fulke Walwyn, who won the Whitbread Gold Cup an impressive seven times – and Desert Orchid (1988), all of which have secured their status in the pantheon of greats.

At any rate, Whelan is ecstatic that his former charge has inscribed his name in Sandown’s roll of honour. “I bred the horse. I bred him here in Killimor,” confirms Whelan as he begins his story.

“I had a mare here and John and Rita Lynch down in Coxtown in Kiltormer had a stallion (Island House). We bred the foal and he was always a nice looking foal. We set up a syndicate and gave him to TJ Nagle in Cork to train him.

“So, his first outing was a point-to-point in Dromahane and he was second in that. Then we brought him to our local point-to-point in Dartfield in Loughrea and he won that by six or seven lengths. That was 2012.”

Strongly fancied at the County Galway Hunt Blazers’ meeting, Just A Par had faced stiff opposition in Rare Legend in pre-race betting. However, when the home straight was hit, it was Just A Par, under jockey Richard O’Dea, which was well out in front on the gallop home.

By this stage, the syndicate – which included Whelan’s wife Carmel, John Lynch and his wife Rita, and extended family – began to realise they had something special on their hands. They began to discuss their options.

“We were going to bring him to the sales straight away and we decided, or rather TJ Nagle decided, to run him in Punchestown in a maiden hurdle and he won that by six lengths again,” outlines the Killimor man, noting the horse ran in the colours of Nagle.

“Then Brightswell were onto us to take him over to the sales, so we took him over and he was sold. Paul Nicholls (trainer) bought him on behalf of Paul Barber and Graham Roach and we got £260,000stg for him.”

No doubt, Just A Par’s triumph from a field of 10 in The Children’s Referendum Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown in November 2012 added value, and this was recognised at the sales as Nicholls and Tom Taaffe went head-to-head to acquire the bay gelding.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.