Second only to Arkle in the all-time list of great jump stars, perhaps only illness prevented this horse from becoming a racing icon
On March 16th 1966 Ireland's champion jockey Pat Taaffe on the way to a 15–length win aboard Flyingbolt in the National Hunt Two Mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images
It fitted him too. For all that Flyingbolt was brilliant, he could also be a bit of a bastard. The front-end bit and the back end could kick the eye out of a starling.Opening race of Cheltenham Festival to be named in memory of Michael O’SullivanTrainer ‘Shark’ Hanlon free to have runners again from this weekend after suspension lifted by IHRB
Times past: On November 6th, 1965 Arkle, ridden by Peter Taafe, jumps a fence during the Gallaher Gold Cup which he went on to win. Photograph: Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Getty Images Before Arkle beat Mill House in that iconic 1964 Gold Cup, Flyingbolt won his novice hurdle at the festival. He won at Cheltenham again a year later during an unbeaten novice season before a 1965-66 season that hit levels of accomplishment and versatility even Arkle couldn’t match.
The natural date for a clash between two titanic talents was the 1966 Gold Cup, but it was never going to happen. Ducking and diving around the programme book is no modern phenomenon. Tom Dreaper was never going to let the pair take on each other.He won the two-mile Champion Chase at his ease. Just 24 hours later he started favourite for the Champion Hurdle and finished third. Taaffe’s ride was criticised.
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