Who trained Fortria?

In short, Fortria was trained by Thomas William ‘Tom’ Dreaper, who was Irish Champion National Hunt Trainer twice, in 1952 and 1953, but is best remembered as the trainer of the two highest-rated steeplechasers in the history of Timeform, Arkle and Flyingbolt. Although maybe not quite as memorable as his illustrious successors at Greenogue in County Meath, Fortria was an outstanding steeplechaser in his own right.

A son of Fortina – who, incidentally, remains the only entire to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which he did in 1947 – Fortia showed top-class form over a variety of distances. In 1960, he won the second-ever renewal of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, or National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase as it was known at the time, at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Later that year, he won the inaugural Mackeson Gold Cup (now the Paddy Power Gold Cup), also over two miles at Cheltenham, under 12 stone and, in 1961, returned to Prestbury Park to win the National Hunt Two-Mile Champion Chase for the second year running.

Fortria demonstrated his versatility by winning the Irish Grand National over three miles and five furlongs at Fairyhouse in 1961, making him the second of seven consecutive Dreaper-trained winners of that race. In 1962, he finished second, beaten just a length, behind Mandarin in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and won his second Mackeson Gold Cup, again under 12 stone. In 1963, he finished second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup again, albeit a respectful twelve lengths behind the winner, Mill House,