Tom Dreaper

Thomas William ‘Tom’ Dreaper was born in Donaghmore, County Meath on September 26, 1898 and died in Greenogue, County Dublin on April 28, 1975, at the age of 76. He is best remembered as the trainer of the two highest-rated steeplechasers in the history of Timeform, Arkle and Flyingbolt, who collectively contributed four to his career total of 26 winners at the Cheltenham Festival. Remarkably, five decades after his death, Dreaper remains, jointly, the leading trainer in the history of both the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which he won six times, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which he won five times.

Long before Arkle and Flyingbolt, who were foaled in 1957 and 1959, respectively, Dreaper rose to prominence when he was appointed trainer to wealthy businessman James Voase ‘Jimmy’ Rank, son of Joseph Rank, in 1938, following the death of the previous incumbent, Bobby Power. Indeed, it was Rank who provided Dreaper with his first major victories, courtesy of Prince Regent, who was the dominant steeplechaser in Ireland during World War II. Notwithstanding wartime restrictions, Prince Regent won the Irish Grand National in 1942 and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1946.

Fast forward the best part of two decades and, on March 7, 1964, Arkle, ridden by Pat Taaffe, lined up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which he faced the defending champion, Mill House, trained by Fulke Walwyn and ridden by Willie Robinson, in what was, to all intents and purposes, a match between the pair. The much-anticipated duel failed to materialise, though, with Arkle drawing away in the closing stages to win by five lengths. Arkle defended his title in 1965, hammering Mill House by 20 lengths and, in 1966, in the absence of his old rival, hacked up by 30 lengths from Dormant, at prohibitive odds of 1/10 – the shortest in Gold Cup history – to complete his hat-trick.

Arkle may well have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup again, but for a career-ending injury sustained in the King George VI Chase at Kempton later in 1966. Two years later, though, Dreaper saddled his fifth Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Fort Leney, again ridden by Pat Taaffe.