Spillane’s Tower ready to scale the Gold Cup heights

As you enter the village of Conna, the sign to welcome you informs you that you are entering the homeland of Grand National hero Monty’s Pass.

Now 23 years on from that momentous occasion in Liverpool, there are dreams of adding a Gold Cup winner’s name to that roll of honour, Spillane’s Tower prepares for his staring role at the Cheltenham Festival.

A tight-knit community in the heartland of Irish National Hunt racing is preparing to descend on the Cotswolds en masse, driven by thoughts of the Jimmy Mangan-trained Trials day winner emulating Cork’s favourite son Imperial Call 30 years on from his Gold Cup haul.

“There’s plenty of excitement, I don’t think psychologically we’ve gone there yet in our heads that he is a runner in the Gold Cup for us,” said the trainer’s daughter and racing pundit Jane Mangan.

“For the village it is great and there are a lot of people who are going to travel to Cheltenham who have never been and also never been racing outside of Ireland. It says ‘welcome to the home of Monty’s Pass’ on the sign at both sides of the village, but it’s time to add another name under that.

“There’s just a great vibe about having a runner in the best race in jumps racing and no one is expecting him to win. It’s strong point-to-point and National Hunt country and the last Cork winner would have been Imperial Call.”

Although sporting the familiar colours of leading owner JP McManus, the Spillane’s Tower story and his quest for Gold Cup glory is a throwback to the days of old, a time where Irish dominance at Prestbury Park was an unlikely dream.

An underdog tale that harks back to the days of Danoli, Spillane’s Tower’s resurgence on Festival Trials day has given credence to the idea of the much-loved 70-year-old Mangan and his fabled woolly hat ending racing’s biggest week lifting its most important trophy.

“He’s a runner in the Gold Cup for a trainer with less than 10 horses in training. It could be one of the stories of the week, it’s mega,” continued Mangan. “It’s kind of Danoli, and Tom Foley wouldn’t be too dissimilar to dad.

“I know the McManus family have got plenty of runners this week, but they get immense pleasure out of this horse as they bred him as well.

“His preparation has gone well and my parents are very happy with him. It’s very comforting knowing how he handled the travelling in January, we’ll just replicate that procedure here. If people are giving Grey Dawning a chance, then we must surely have a chance.”

Spillane’s Tower already holds a special place in the hearts of the Mangan family, having lit up the last couple of seasons with his efforts in top-class company.

“He’s important for my parents in that when they get up in a morning and there’s a horse like him there in his box, it gives you great belief you can still do it,” continued Mangan.

“When it’s been 20 years since the Grand National you would only be human to start questioning yourself.

“It also just makes the job a pleasure because he’s super easy and a hugely-intelligent horse.

“He’s very sensitive to his surroundings, so I think the little team around him are fantastic at keeping him happy. Dad goes out at 10pm most nights to give him a little extra bit of feed or just play with him or fuss him, he’s another member of the family.”

Only a child when her family enjoyed their greatest moment in racing, it will be a test of keeping emotions in check for Jane Mangan as she balances enjoying her father’s moment in the Gold Cup spotlight with professional duties as part of the Cheltenham Festival TV coverage

“The eight-year-old with her grandparents and cousins playing didn’t know what she was watching when Monty’s Pass won the Grand National, but she would love it to happen now at an age where she could appreciate what her parents are achieving,” she said.

“Do you allow yourself to think that might happen? I don’t know.

“I’ll be on TV and it will be weird. I’ll hopefully do the paddock analysis for the Gold Cup, wish my parents good luck and then watch it on air, but it’s the job.

“It will be hard to be completely neutral, but I’ve hosted RTE when he won the Grade One at Punchestown as a novice, so I’ll manage. Where else would you want to be when your dad has a runner in the Gold Cup?”

Where would you want to be indeed.