Gilgamboa crowned Champion Hunter Chaser

(Enda Bolger accepting the award from Jamie Codd)

Tattersalls Ireland Hunter Chaser- Gilgamboa

The 2016 winner, On The Fringe won this award for the past three years.

This year’s winner started his career under rules when winning on his debut at Galway in a maiden hurdle in October 2013.

He went on to win a Grade B handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in January 2014, a Grade Two novice chase at Limerick in December 2014 and the 2015 Grade One Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

The son of Westerner rose to a career high mark of 159 over fences after finishing fourth in the 2016 Aintree Grand National under Robbie Power.

He made his point-to-point debut when finishing fifth to A Decent Excuse at Castletown-Geoghegan on the opening day of the 2017-18 season.

The ten-year-old was then runner-up at Mainstown in the Ladies open in December to last season’s Champion point-to-pointer Ourmanmassini when ridden by Jeannie Cook.

The J P McManus-owned gelding won his first hunter chase at Down Royal on St. Stephens Day when beating Venitian De Mai by three quarters of a length in the hands of Nina Carberry.

His next run was at Thurles on 21st January where he beat last season’s champion point-to-pointer, Foxrock by 10 lengths.

Three weeks later Gilgmaboa ran in the Punchestown hunter chase and beat Burning Ambition by two and three quarter lengths.

Gilgamboa could not be entered for the Cheltenham or Aintree foxhunters which for the second year in succession, the leading Irish hunter chaser was not able to run in British hunter chases due to the BHA rules.

Trained by Enda Bolger, he received a rating of 125 following his Punchestown victory and was partnered to success by Nina Carberry on all his Hunter Chase victories.
 

The top five rated horses in 2017/18 were: