Flyingbolt & Arkle: The Two Titans That Made Tom Dreaper Immortal

In the long and storied history of National Hunt racing, few names are spoken with as much reverence as that of Tom Dreaper. The Irish trainer, whose quiet demeanour masked a mind of brilliant precision, built a legacy at Greenogue in County Meath that continues to echo across generations. Yet, for all his winners and triumphs, two exceptional horses – Arkle and Flyingbolt – truly carved his name into the sport’s immortal scroll.

 

Between them, Arkle and Flyingbolt didn’t just win races – they redefined what was possible. They were not only champions but phenomena, anomalies, almost the stuff of legend in their dominance. And they arrived in the same stable, under the same owner, within a few short years of each other. It was a golden era, unlike anything the sport had seen before – or perhaps since.

The Arrival of Arkle: The Birth of a Legend

Foaled in 1957 and owned by Anne, Duchess of Westminster, Arkle was a gelding of modest pedigree but extraordinary ability. From the moment he began his chase career in the early 1960s, it became clear he was quite special. His early duels with Mill House, the reigning English champion, became a central narrative in jump racing – an Anglo-Irish rivalry that captivated fans on both sides of the Irish sea.

 

Under the guidance of Pat Taaffe – Dreaper’s long-time stable jockey – Arkle claimed three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups (1964-66), an Irish Grand National (1964), and an astonishing array of top-class victories across Britain and Ireland. What set him apart was not just his winning record but the manner in which he won. Arkle often carried immense weights and still stormed home ahead of the field, making a mockery of handicaps and rivals alike.

 

So dominant was Arkle that the official handicappers had to recalibrate their entire system. He achieved a Timeform rating of 212 – a number so otherworldly that it remains the highest ever given to a steeplechaser. His blend of speed, stamina, and surreal jumping ability made him the benchmark for greatness.

Flyingbolt: The Forgotten Phenomenon

Overshadowed only by the monstrous cast of Arkle was Flyingbolt, a chestnut gelding born in 1959 and also trained by Dreaper. Where Arkle had the measured dominance of a heavyweight champion, Flyingbolt was more like a middleweight with a sprinter’s speed and a marathon runner’s lungs. He was versatile to a fault, excelling from two miles to three-and-a-quarter, and he, too, made a mockery of the handicappers’ calculations.

 

In 1965-66, Flyingbolt arguably put together one of the greatest campaigns in the history of the sport. Within a matter of weeks, he won the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, carried top weight to third in the Champion Hurdle (a stunning effort for a chaser), and then romped home in the Irish Grand National while carrying an outrageous burden. His Timeform rating? A staggering 210 – just two points shy of Arkle and still the second-highest rating in history. His 1996 triumph with Pat Taffee at the helm would secure Dreaper’s tenth and final recording- extending the Irish Grand National’s win as a trainer – the most successful in the competition’s history.

 

But Flyingbolt’s trajectory was tragically shorter. He was struck by illness shortly after his sensational season and never returned to his peak form. As a result, his legend is often a quieter one, whispered among those who know rather than shouted from the rooftops. Yet, ask many hardened racing purists, and they’ll tell you: Flyingbolt, on his day, might well have beaten them all – including Arkle, but Dreaper would never let the pair take on each other.

Dreaper’s Quiet Genius

To have one horse of such rare brilliance in a career would be a trainer’s dream. To have two at almost the same time is nearly incomprehensible. Tom Dreaper was not one for self-promotion. He let the horses do the talking, and they spoke volumes. His training methods were simple but effective, based on patience, instinct, and an intuitive understanding of each horse’s rhythm and potential.

 

Speaking in a rare interview in the mid-1970s, Dreaper once said of his stable stars: “They were so different to train. Arkle was all economy – he did only what he needed to do, no more. Flyingbolt was restless, always keen to work, always sharp. You had to be careful with him.”

 

His partnership with Pat Taaffe was central to the era. Taaffe knew both horses intimately and rode with a calmness and authority that suited Dreaper’s quiet approach. They were a formidable trio – trainer, jockey, and horse – and their dominance throughout the 1960s elevated Irish racing to a new height.

A Legacy Cemented in Hooves and History

What makes the Arkle-Flyingbolt era so special is not just their statistics but the mythology surrounding them. There’s a sense of unreality to it all, as though the racing gods briefly allowed perfection to walk the turf of Ireland, Cheltenham and further afield.

 

Statistically, Arkle stands tallest. His Cheltenham Gold Cup hat-trick and his crushing victories under enormous weights placed him in a league of his own. But Flyingbolt was perhaps the more versatile and arguably the more explosive.

 

Together, they forged the most glorious chapter of Dreaper’s already distinguished career. And in doing so, they ensured that his name would never be forgotten. For in Arkle and Flyingbolt, Dreaper did not merely train great horses – he trained a legacy.