8 of the last 13 runnings of the Hennessy Gold Cup have been won by former Irish Pointers but none created a better atmosphere than Beef or Salmon wearing down The Listener in the dying strides of the 2007 renewal.
2011 Kempes 8 11-10 D J Casey 5/1 (W P Mullins)
2010 Joncol 7 11-10 A P Cawley 9/4Fav (Paul Nolan)
2009 Neptune Collonges 8 11-10 R Walsh 8/13Fav (P F Nicholls)
2008 The Listener 9 11-10 D A Jacob 2/1Fav (R H Alner)
2007 Beef Or Salmon 11 11-12 Andrew J McNamara 11/4 (Michael Hourigan)
2006 Beef Or Salmon 10 11-12 P Carberry 2/5Fav (Michael Hourigan)
2005 Rule Supreme 9 11-12 D J Casey 11/2 (W P Mullins)
2004 Florida Pearl 12 11-12 R Johnson 5/1 (W P Mullins)
2003 Beef Or Salmon 7 12-0 T J Murphy 1/1Fav (Michael Hourigan)
2002 Alexander Banquet 9 12-0 B J Geraghty 3/1 (W P Mullins)
2001 Florida Pearl 9 12-0 R Johnson 5/4Fav (W P Mullins)
2000 Florida Pearl 8 12-0 P Carberry 8/11Fav (W P Mullins)
1999 Florida Pearl 7 12-0 R Dunwoody 8/15Fav (W P Mullins)
Former Irish Pointers posted a big performance under Paul Carberry in winning the Welsh Grand National. A Nenagh maiden winner on his debut he was trained by Colin Bowe to win his maiden although many may wonder why the Monbeg name which is associated with the Doyle brothers is attached to this horse. He was owned by Eamon Doyle and at that time Donnchadh Doyle was working with Bowe so both team Doyle and team Bowe can take real credit for producing this youngster who has gone on to win a Coral Welsh National.
Florida pearl, one of the most high profile horses to have begun his career in Irish points died on Saturday 5th May at the age of 20.
The son of Florida Son began his career by landing a Lismore 4yo maiden under Tony Costello in 1996. He went on to win 16 times under rules including 4 victories in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown. He amassed over £800,000 in prize money and was retired in 2004.
He has spent his retirement at the Irish National Stud who revealed recently that the star chaser had been put down.
The Stud released a statement which is included below:-
We are saddened to inform you that on the evening of May 5th 2012 a decision was made on veterinary advice to euthanize Florida Pearl.
The twenty-year-old gelding, in residence at the Irish National Stud for five years, was diagnosed with a condition known as haemangisarcoma, a word deriving from "malignant cancer of the blood vessels". It is a rare condition which swiftly affects many organs once it spreads from its primary focus - in this case it originated in the spleen.
Florida Pearl was a firm favourite among visitors to the INS and earned his retirement after a career which contained Grade 1 wins in seven seasons. One of the greatest steeplechasers we have seen, his speed was also obvious in his Cheltenham Championship bumper success.
Out thanks and sympathies go to the O'Leary family and the Mullins family who have many memories to treasure.
