How I won the Foxhunter at 66-1 and kept up an amazing family tradition

In 1991 County Cork trainer Eugene O'Sullivan won the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham with Lovely Citizen, ridden by his brother William and bred and owned by their father Eoin. Last week, 29 years on from that great family success, O'Sullivan landed the Foxhunter again with 66-1 shot It Came To Pass, ridden by his daughter Maxine and led up by William's sons Michael and Alan. Below Maxine O'Sullivan tells the story

The Foxhunter is a very special race, especially in our family. When Lovely Citizen won there was only one other Irish winner at Cheltenham that year and it was a massive thing for us. I've always seen the photographs and heard the stories of the cup going around the country for a year. I was born the January after and I had my photo taken with my dad and the cup on the day of my christening.

Even in recent years if Dad had a winner it would always be 'Eugene O’Sullivan, winner of the Foxhunter in 1991' and you kind of think 'Will they ever forget about that?' But it was so special and that's why it has lived on.