Bregawn
| Bregawn | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Saint Denys |
| Dam | Miss Society |
| Damsire | Dionisio |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1974 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Chestnut |
| Owner | Martin Kennelly |
| Trainer | Michael Dickinson |
| Major wins | |
Cheltenham Gold Cup (1983) Hennessy Gold Cup (1982) Peter Marsh Chase (1982, 1983) Great Yorkshire Chase (1982) | |
Bregawn (foaled 1974) was an Irish-bred racehorse who developed into a top class steeplechaser. He is best known for winning the 1983 running of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, when his trainer Michael Dickinson trained the first five runners home.
Background
Bregawn was foaled in 1974 in Ireland. His sire, Saint Denys, finished second in the 1962 running of the Irish 2,000 Guineas. His dam was unraced.
Early Career
Bregawn went into training with Chris Kinane in Ireland. He won a bumpers event in early 1979, then a maiden hurdle race at Limerick in December of the same year. On his sixth start of the 1979/80 season, he was sent over to Aintree, where he finished second in an amateur riders' handicap hurdle. After that run he remained in England and was transferred to the stables of Michael Dickinson.
1980/1981 Season
Switched straight to fences, Bregawn ran twelve times during this season, winning six times. The victories came at Market Rasen, Catterick, Wetherby, Warwick, Newcastle and Aintree. He did however fail to complete the course on four occasions, and when he won at Warwick the Raceform representative reporting on the day, Ivor Markham, noted that "he is still inclined to go right at his fences and makes hard work of jumping." Bregawn had progressed enough to take his chance in the Ritz Club Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March. He was leading in that event when falling three fences from home. The Timeform organisation stated that, " in our opinion Bregawn would have won had he stood up ". In his final race of the season he won the Siematic Kitchens Novices Chase at the Aintree Grand National meeting. Bregawn did not have a regular rider during the season and was partnered by a different rider for each victory.
1981/1982 Season
Bregawn developed into a high class chaser during this season. He won four of his six starts and in his last run he finished runner up to his stable companion Silver Buck in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Bregawn's reappearance at Market Rasen was his only start before Christmas, when he won a small handicap. He next appeared in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock Park, where he took advantage of the 19 lb in weight he received from Night Nurse, to beat that rival by five lengths. Bregawn ran again a week later in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster. On his previous two starts he had been ridden by Graham Bradley and Robert Earnshaw, who were both attached to the Dickinson yard. At Doncaster John Francome was aboard. Bregawn started the 11/8 favourite on the strength of his victory the previous weekend. He led four fences from home and won by two and a half lengths from Megan's Boy. With a growing reputation, Bregawn made another quick reappearance seven days later in the Freshfields Holidays Handicap Chase at Sandown. With Robert Earnshaw back on board, Bregawn started the 3/1 favourite, went into the lead five fences form home and beat Saint Fillans by five lengths. Night Nurse, who was concededing 20 lb in weight to Bregawn, was a further two lengths back in third. Bregawn was next seen in the Greenall Whitley Chase at Haydock Park in early March. Starting the 11/10 favourite, he failed by a length to concede 9 lb the winner Scot Lane, running on strongly late on after being interfered with by a faller two fences from the finish. The Raceform representative was of the opinion that Bregawn, " must be considered an unlucky loser". Bregawn's final appearance of the season came in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This was the stiffest task of his career so far and he started at odds of 18/1 in a twenty two runner field. With Graham Bradley in the saddle, Bregawn was prominent all the way and his stable companion Silver Buck fought out the contest from two fences out. Silver Buck eventually came out on top by two lengths, with a twelve length gap back to the third horse home, Sunset Cristo. Bregawn finished the season with a Timeform rating of 174, one pound behind the his stable companion Silver Buck, who was voted National Hunt Horse of the Year.