Imperial Call’s legendary trainer Fergie Sutherland passes away

The legendary Fergie Sutherland, best known as the trainer of the 1996 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Call, died yesterday in Marymount Hospice, Cork following a long illness. He was 81.

Imperial Call put the then 64-year-old on the map when he was his first ever runner at the Cheltenham festival and proceeded to land the biggest prize in National Hunt racing.

Beautifully handled by Conor O’Dwyer, he exploded up the straight to beat the subsequent Aintree Grand National hero, Rough Quest, by four lengths.