Viking Flagship (1987–2000) was an Irish racehorse who began his racing career in October 1989 as a 2-year-old. He was first trained by his breeder, Eithne C Holdsworth, in Co. Kilkenny and then by

Martin Pipe Martin Charles Pipe (born 29 May 1945), is an English former racehorse trainer credited with professionalising the British racehorse training industry, and as of 2021 the most successful trainer in British jump racing. The son of a West Coun ...

. He had 18 starts in Ireland with these two trainers, all in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

, but did not win any of them.

Season 1990-1991

In December 1990, his trainer sent him over hurdles, and on his hurdling debut, Viking Flagship fell at Wolverhampton. In his next start, he was beaten by a head into second place at Newton Abbot, before going on to complete a four timer in Novice Hurdles between February and April 1991. After this, he changed yards and joined new trainer W M Halley, for whom he had his first start at Punchestown in April 1991, where he finished 6th. That proved to be his only start under the trainer, as he changed yards again in the summer, joining David Nicholson.

Season 1991-1992

Viking Flagship began the season finishing down the field in a handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot and followed that up with a 4th place finish in his next 2 starts. After winning a Taunton handicap on his next start, he contested some valuable handicaps for the remainder of the season. He finished placed in the Imperial Cup,

County Handicap Hurdle The County Handicap Hurdle is a Premier Handicap National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a dist ...

, and Cordon Bleu Handicap at

Aintree Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, northeast of Liverpool city centre. In 2011 the parish had a p ...

on his final start of the season.

Season 1992-1993

Viking Flagship embarked on a novice chasing campaign and did not reappear until February 1993, where he fell on his first start over fences at the beginning of February. However, he bounced back and completed a hat-trick over fences between the 8th and 25 February. He followed that up with 2 wins within 3 days at the Punchestown Festival.

Season 1993-1994

He began with two second-place finishes in handicaps, before he won the Victor Chandler Chase in January and the Game Spirit Chase in February. That was followed with a neck victory in the prestigious

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

. On his final start that season, Viking Flagship finished an 11-length second to Uncle Ernie in the Martell Aintree Chase.

Season 1994-1995

He made his seasonal debut in the

Tingle Creek Chase The Tingle Creek Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 ...

, where he was a 3-1/2-length winner, before winning the Castleford Chase later that month. He then finished 5th in the Victor Chandler Chase, fell in the Game Spirit Chase, and finishing 2nd in the Emblem Chase at Kempton, where he failed by a length when giving away a stone in weight. He then went back to Cheltenham, where he was sent off the 5/2 favourite for the

and scored a 5-length victory over Deep Sensation. He ended the season at

, where he won the

Melling Chase The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 m ...

at the same price.

Season 1995-1996

On his seasonal debut, Viking Flagship finished a distant 4th in the

. After finishing a 15-length third in the John Bull Chase in his next start, he won the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury and the Emblem Chase at Kempton. He returned to Cheltenham for his next start, where he finished 2nd in the

, before winning the

again.

Season 1996-1997

The season only brought one success for Viking Flagship in the Emblem Chase, but he also placed in the

and the

Season 1997-1998

The season proved to be the final season of Viking Flagship's racing career. He began by beating

Mulligan Mulligan(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Buck Mulligan, a fictional character in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' * Mulligan (games), a second chance given to a player to perform a certain move or action * Mulligan (TV series), ''Mulliga ...

by 5 lengths in the

Haldon Gold Cup The Haldon Gold Cup, a limited handicap, is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Exeter over a distance of about 2 m ...

. He then went back to Sandown for the

, where he went down by a head to Ask Tom. After winning the Castleford Chase again, he finished 3rd and 5th respectively in the Game Spirit Chase and the

. Viking Flagship died in 2000.

References

{{reflist 1987 racehorse births 2000 racehorse deaths Thoroughbred family 1-x Racehorses bred in Ireland Racehorses trained in the United Kingdom Cheltenham Festival winners