PUNTERS might have thought Imperial Call had reached the pinnacle of his achievement when he romped home to win the Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Thursday. But the plucky seven-year-old Cork-trained horse faces another hurdle when he attends a civic reception in his honour in Cork City Hall later this month.
Announcing the reception yesterday, Cork city's mayor, Mr Joe O'Callaghan, said: "It will be the first time we have organised such an event for a horse, but he is well deserving of it".
Normally civil receptions are held in the council chamber, entailing a climb up a flight of 20 marble steps. Would this pose a problem for the champion hurdler?
"I am told a horse is well capable of climbing stairs. The problem will be getting him down again, but we are working on that one.
At Cork Airport last night as the droves of racing fans returned from Cheltenham, the Gold Cup was filled with Irish whiskey and passed around excited Corkonians. Hundreds arrived back last night after watching Imperial Call win the prestigious trophy in Thursday's electrifying race.
Ms Sarah Lane, the estate director of Lisselan Farms, which owns Imperial Call, kept a close eye on the solid gold cup she had accepted from the Queen Mother on Thursday, and confided she had had a modest flutter on Imperial Call - £10 at 33 to one, each way.
It was her first time in Cheltenham, and she has only become familiar with horses in the past four years since Lisselan Farms began putting together a stable that now numbers 30, including Imperial Call and GoGo Galant, which has won its last three races.
"We hope the horses will put Lisselan and west Cork on the map, and especially the horse racing map," she said. Imperial Call was travelling home by ferry and road to Carrigadrohid with its trainer, Mr Fergie Sutherland.
The executive vice-chairman of the estate, Mr Denis Murphy, who stayed behind to organise the homecoming, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to bits. We couldn't be happier".
Bonfires were lit around Lisselen, near Ballinascarthy, which is a few miles from Clonakilty, and also around Carrigadrohid, where the horse is stabled and trained.
The celebrations have been continuing since Thursday in McCarthy's Whistle Inn Pub in Ballinascarthy and in the Anglers Rest in Carrigadrohid. While all want to see Imperial Call, Mr Murphy said they planned to return the horse to its stables as quietly as possible, and keep it far from the excitement of those who watched and benefited from its win.