Blast From The Past: Thomas Pink Gold Cup

The royal blue, green sleeves and white cap with green spots of the late David Johnson were arguably the most famous colours in jumps racing in the late-1990s and early-2000s, with the riders of horses like Take Control and Classified wearing them to big-race success in the Scottish Grand National and Challow Novices’ Hurdle respectively

They had also been worn by the winning jockey—Richard Dunwoody and Tony McCoy (twice)—in the 1996, 1998 and 2000 renewals of the feature handicap chase at Cheltenham’s Open meeting in mid-November courtesy of Challenger du Luc, Cyfor Malta and Lady Cricket. The race was called the Murphy’s Gold Cup when both Challenger du Luc  and Cyfor Malta were successful (for the first time in the case of the latter), but had changed to the Thomas Pink Gold Cup by the time Lady Cricket beat her 14 rivals by 10 lengths and more.

Lady Cricket went on to be covered by Galileo, producing the useful hurdler Swing Bowler from that unison, as well as the smart bumper performer/hurdler Red Sherlock from a mating with Shirocco. However, Cyfor Malta’s legacy has arguably lasted longer, thanks to his second Thomas Pink Gold Cup success some four years after his first (the race title was changed to the Paddy Power Gold Cup the following year, when another old favourite, Fondmort, beat just eight rivals).

The title of the race might have undergone changes during that time, but the name of the trainer of the horse most likely to win it remained the same: Martin Pipe. Pipe had already won it twice (including in 1987 when it was the Mackeson Gold Cup) by the time Cyfor Malta was first victorious, and he went on to win it five more times (including with Lady Cricket). Fittingly, when Pipe’s son David won the race in 2011 it was with The Johnson Family-owned Great Endeavour.

Dual winners of the race aren’t uncommon, as there have been four more examples, including Bradbury Star in 1993-94, but none of them has as big a gap between them as Cyfor Malta. Given that Cyfor Malta had had his physical problems and run only seven times in between, to win such a competitive race for a second time, recapturing the top-class form (reinstated on a Timeform rating of 166, from 153) he showed in the 1998/9 season in the process, spoke volumes for Pipe's skill.

Cyfor Malta first won the Murphy’s Gold Cup as a five-year-old and, after following up in the Grade 2 Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham (known more recently as the Cotswold Chase), the sky had seemed the limit for him. But leg trouble kept him off the course after that later success in January 1999 and when Cyfor Malta finished a distant last of three finishers in the 2001 Pillar Property Chase on his return it appeared that his best days were well behind him.

That Cyfor Malta was able to run five times and produce smart form in the 2001/2 season, winning a handicap at Newbury and finishing second to Florida Pearl in the Martell Cup at Aintree, showed that he was far from a back number, though not even Pipe himself expected him to make a winning reappearance in the Thomas Pink.

Racing off a mark 4 lb higher than when previously successful in the race, the nine-year-old Cyfor Malta had to concede weight to all bar Foly Pleasant in a 15-runner field which also included his shorter-priced stable companions Exit Swinger and Chicuelo, the last-named the mount of stable-jockey Tony McCoy. Cyfor Malta was ridden by Barry Geraghty, who had ridden the previous season’s Arkle winner Moscow Flyer to a Grade 3 success at Down Royal the previous Saturday.

In the event, 16/1-shot Cyfor Malta gave a smooth performance, for all he didn't look to be going all that well before three out, leading at the next and quickening into the straight, in no danger from thereon. Cyfor Malta won by seven lengths from Poliantas. Cyfor Malta failed to win in seven subsequent starts, including off an 8 lb lower mark on what proved to be his final outing in April 2004, but he achieved plenty in his career and is rightfully seen as one of the most memorable winners of a race that has been won by many stars of National Hunt racing.