Viking Flagship was an Irish racehorse who began his racing career in October 1989 as 2 year old. He was first trained by his breeder Eithne C Holdsworth in Co. Kilkenny and then by Martin Pipe

Martin Pipe

Martin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....

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

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, but was unable to win any of them.

Season 1990-1991

In December 1990, his trainer then sent him over hurdles and on his hurdling debut Viking Flagship fell at Wolverhampton, He did however improve on that on his next start where he finished head 2nd 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

David Nicholson (horse racing)

David Nicholson was a British National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons....

.

Season 1991-1992

He began the season finishing down the field in a Handicap Hurlde at Newton Abbot and followed that up with 4th placed finished in his next 2 starts. After winning a Taunton Handicap on his next start, Viking Flagship went on to contest some valuable handicaps for the remainder of the season. He performed with credit, finishing placed in the Imperial Cup

Imperial Cup

The Imperial Cup is a Listed National Hunt hurdle race 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 and 110 yards , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...

, County Handicap Hurdle

Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle

The Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 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 distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped...

 and the Cordon Bleu Handicap at Aintree

Aintree

Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....

 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 straight back from that and went on to complete an impressive 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

Victor Chandler Chase

The Victor Chandler Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

 in January and the Game Spirit Chase

Game Spirit Chase

The Game Spirit Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

 in February. That was followed with a neck victory in the prestigious Queen Mother Champion Chase

Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

. 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, where he was an impressive 3-1/2-length winner, before winning the Castleford Chase

Castleford Chase

The Castleford Chase is a National Hunt handicap chase in the United Kingdom for five-year-old and above horses. It is run over a distance of 2 miles at Wetherby Racecourse in December. There are twelve fences to be jumped in the race....

 later that month. He then disappointed in his next three starts, finishing 5th in the Victor Chandler Chase

Victor Chandler Chase

The Victor Chandler Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

, falling in the Game Spirit Chase

Game Spirit Chase

The Game Spirit Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

 and finishing 2nd in the Emblem Chase at Kempton, where he only 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 favourote for the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

 and justified that with 5 length victory over Deep Sensation. He ended the season on another high note at Aintree

Aintree

Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....

, where he won the Melling Chase

Melling Chase

The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase 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 , and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped...

 at the same price.

Season 1995-1996

He was very poor on his seasonal debut where he finished a distant 4th in the Tingle Creek Chase. After finishing a 15 length third in the John Bull Chase in his next start, Viking Flagship went on to win the Game Spirit Chase

Game Spirit Chase

The Game Spirit Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

 at Newbury and the Emblem Chase at Kempton. He returned to Cheltenham for his next start, where he finished 2nd in the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

, before winning the Melling Chase

Melling Chase

The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase 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 , and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped...

 again.

Season 1996-1997

The season only brought one success for Viking Flagship in the Emblem Chase, but he ran well to be placed in both the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

 and the Melling Chase

Melling Chase

The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase 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 , and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped...

.

Season 1997-1998

The season proved to be the final season of his racing career. He began in style when he beat Mulligan by 5 lengths in the Haldon Gold Cup

Haldon Gold Cup

The Haldon Gold Cup is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Exeter over a distance of about 2 miles and 1½ furlongs , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

. He then went back to Sandown for the Tingle Creek Chase, where he went down by just a head to Ask Tom. After winning the Castleford Chase

Castleford Chase

The Castleford Chase is a National Hunt handicap chase in the United Kingdom for five-year-old and above horses. It is run over a distance of 2 miles at Wetherby Racecourse in December. There are twelve fences to be jumped in the race....

 again, Viking Flagship went on to finish 3rd and 5th respectively in the Game Spirit Chase

Game Spirit Chase

The Game Spirit Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

 andf the Queen Mother Champion Chase

Queen Mother Champion Chase

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...

.

Viking Flagship died in 2000.