The Imperial Call Chase (Now Bar One Racing Chase) is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Cork over a distance of 3 miles (4,828 metres), and is scheduled to take place each year in late March or early April. The race is named in honour of Imperial Call, the winner of the Hennessy Gold Cup and Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1996, who was trained in County Cork.
The race was first run in 2000, and was awarded Grade 3 status in 2012. The 2017 running was named the Dr Vincent O'Brien Centenary Chase to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Vincent O'Brien in April 1917. O'Brien came from Churchtown, County Cork and was president of Cork Racecourse from 1997 to his death in 1997. Since 2019 the race has been run under sponsored titles.
Records Most successful jockey (2 wins): Barry Cash – Lyreen Wonder (2000), Wellforth (2012) Barry Geraghty– Joueur D'Estruval (2004), Slim Pickings (2006) Robbie Power – G V A Ireland (2005), Roberto Goldback (2011)
Most successful trainer (7 wins): Willie Mullins – Joueur D'Estruval (2004), Our Ben (2007), On His Own (2015), Melon (2022), Bachasson (2023), Asterion Forlonge (2024), Mister Policeman (2025)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 2000 Lyreen Wonder 7 Barry Cash Arthur Moore 2001 Ceoil Agus Craic 10 John Cullen Michael G Holden 2002 Golden Storm 5 Sean McDermott Ms Frances Crowley 2003 Kadoun 6 Mr Denis Cullen Michael O'Brien 2004 Joueur D'Estruval 7 Barry Geraghty Willie Mullins 2005 G V A Ireland 7 Robbie Power Francis Flood 2006 Slim Pickings 7 Barry Geraghty Robert Tyner 2007 Our Ben 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2008 In The High Grass 7 Adrian Joyce Tom Taaffe 2009 Badgerlaw 9 Andrew Leigh Jessica Harrington 2010 Florida Express 10 S W Jackson Philip Redmond 2011 Roberto Goldback 9 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington 2012 Wellforth 8 Barry Cash Paul John Gilligan 2013 Roi Du Mee 8 Jason Maguire Gordon Elliott 2014 Toner D'Oudairies 7 Davy Condon Gordon Elliott 2015 On His Own 11 David Casey Willie Mullins 2016 Fine Rightly 8 Andrew Lynch Stuart Crawford 2017 Val De Ferbet 8 Adrian Heskin Andrew McNamara 2018 Sumos Novios 11 Jonathan Burke Liam Burke 2019 Timeforwest 7 Donagh Meyler Peter Fahey no race 2020 2021 Waitnsee 7 Kevin Brouder John Patrick Ryan 2022 Melon 10 Bryan Cooper Willie Mullins 2023 Bachasson 12 Sean Flanagan Willie Mullins 2024 Asterion Forlonge 10 Sean O'Keeffe Willie Mullins 2025 Mister Policeman 7 JJ Slevin Willie Mullins 2026 Nowwhatdoyouthink 7 Liam Quinlan Ray Hackett
See also List of Irish National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,