Pat Taaffe

Who is Pat Taaffe?

Patrick "Pat" Taaffe was a National Hunt jockey who famously rode Arkle to win three Cheltenham Gold Cups between 1964 and 1966.

Arkle and Taaffe, the pair who dominated National Hunt racing in the mid-sixties, won the Irish Grand National, the King George VI chase, 2 Hennessy Gold Cups, 3 Cheltenham Gold Cups and the Whitbread Cup.

Taaffe was also a capable winner without the help of Arkle, he also won a fourth Gold Cup, 2 Grand Nationals and recorded 6 Irish Nationals .

Pat Taaffe also won the 1970 Grand National in Aintree, Liverpool on a 30-1 outsider, named Gay Trip. All the riders in front of him fell and he and Gay Trip sauntered home. After retiring as a jockey Taaffe went on to train Captain Christy, 1974 Gold Cup winner, who was one of the only horses to be comapared with Arkle. Though his training skills were good, the former jockey was too modest for a trainer so his career did not flourish.

He died in 1992 in Dublin Hospital, aged just 62. His health had been poor for some time.