West Tip was a bay gelding bred in Ireland near Fethard, County Tipperary, by Joe Hayes.
He was owned by Peter Luff and during his racing career he was trained by Michael Oliver at Elmley Lovett near Droitwich in Worcestershire.
[citation needed] In 1982, West Tip was injured in an accident involving a lorry just down the lane from Michael Oliver's stables in Elmley Lovett.
Unfortunately a hook on the bed of the lorry caught West Tip on his near side hindquarters and tore a huge hole.
[citation needed] In 1985 West Tip won the Ritz Club Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.