Goffs Thyestes Chase

COMETH the hour at Gowran Park, cometh the man. As so often proves the case in one of the season’s marquee handicap chases, Willie Mullins provided the answer to the 2025 Goffs Thyestes Chase when the class of Nick Rockett came to the fore as the 9/2 joint-favourite. It brought up a tremendous 10th Thyestes win for the champion trainer.

A confident, wide-round-the-outer ride from Paul Townend helped to deliver a two-and-a-quarter-length success for last season’s beaten Irish Grand National favourite (a well-held seventh at 4/1).

The second-season chaser was pushed strongest by a smashing effort from the second-placed Velvet Elvis, who rediscovered his very best under Conor Stone-Walsh for Gavin Cromwell to outrun his odds of 22/1.

Nick Rockett was a popular winner among locals by virtue of his trainer and starting price, but this was also an emotional success considering he races in the black and amber colours of Stewart and Sadie Andrew.

Stewart Andrew said: “Sadie was a proper local lass from Goresbridge and Nick was her horse. Sadly, she died in December 2022 but fortunately Willie managed to get the horse to run five days before she passed away in his first bumper. This horse has been a fantastic servant to us since and he’s done everything for us. Today was the plan and to win it locally for Sadie means so much more - it’s absolutely unbelievable.

“This is such an inner feeling of consolement to me because it’s what she always wanted, and now it’s been delivered on her home turf by a fantastic trainer.”

Dream result

Mullins added: “There’ll be a lot of celebrating around here tonight, with Sadie’s family from nearby. It’s a dream come true.”

Layers reacted by cutting Nick Rockett to a general 16/1 (from as big as 33/1) for the Randox Grand National, and Mullins is hoping he will target either the Aintree feature or the Fairyhouse equivalent this spring.

“To me, today was the day - it was a tremendous performance,” said the winning trainer.

“With a horse like him, you like to think they get a chance of one big handicap during the season and what a race to win. Now we’ll probably look forward towards Fairyhouse or Aintree, he’ll be entered for everything.

“When we were growing up, the Thyestes was a great trial for the Grand National. I’m not sure whether we’ll run him in the Bobbyjo before those possible National-type races; it might come too soon. He mightn’t need another run but we’ll see how he comes out of it. If I could ideally find a race a couple of weeks after the Bobbyjo, that would suit me better.”

Favori De Champdou fared best of Gordon Elliott’s squad in third, pulling nine lengths clear of 9/2 joint-favourite Yeah Man, who never really threatened to land a blow from behind.

Sparkling performance

Rocky’s Diamond put in a sparkling performance to take the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.

Trained by Declan Queally and ridden by Shane Fitzgerald, the five-year-old came into the race with an eyecatching piece of form to his name having finished third in the Grade 1 Savills Hurdle at Christmas.

He was a 66/1 chance on that occasion, but was given more respect this time when starting at 5/1 for the Grade 2 in a field of nine.

There were some well-known names among them, but Rocky’s Diamond was always in touch and looked threatening throughout the three-mile trip.

As the race reached its conclusion he took up the lead and held off all challengers to succeed by a length and a quarter from Thedevilscoachman, cutting his odds for the Stayers’ Hurdle from 50/1 to 16/1.

“He was very good and jumped super,” said Fitzgerald.

“He got a little bit lonely in front and I got lit up a bit when Gavin (Brouder, on Franciscan Rock) came down my outside coming down the straight.

“He probably wasn’t as fluent jumping when he hit the front, but he just battled gamely the whole way to the line.

“He was just doing too much the whole time, but he was very game to the line.

“It was a savage training performance and there’s definitely more to come from this lad. He’s still only a baby, he’s only had a couple of runs.

“He just has an awful lot of ability. Hopefully they will keep me on him, but he definitely has a bright future.”

The Cheltenham Festival could be on the agenda now, with Queally adding: “He’s only five, clear-winded, great heart and stays forever – a brilliant horse.

“He has an entry in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He’s cool, doesn’t get overexcited so you wouldn’t rule it out. I think a better gallop would suit him, but he did well there off slow fractions.

“When he turned in I thought he would get swallowed up but he’s not a slow horse either.

“He was a bit of a fool as a younger horse, but he’s grown and he’s matured.

“He does things easily at home so it’s hard to know how good he’s going to be. He’s light-framed so we don’t kill him. Hopefully he’ll keep improving.”

Head in front

Tom Mullins’ Coral River got his head in front for the first time when winning the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle.

An 11/2 chance under Danny Mullins, the six-year-old was second in three of his bumper starts and made his debut over obstacles at Naas earlier in the month.

He clearly needed that run and came on for the experience when securing a three-length victory over Gordon Elliott’s Kish Bank.

“I was worried that they were going too slow because he definitely wants a trip,” said the trainer.

“He badly needed the run in Naas the last day, both for fitness and experience over hurdles.

“The obvious thing now would be to get him right for the final in Punchestown. I don’t know what we’ll do in between, but that’s the main target.

“It looked like they went hard enough up front and I thought we had no chance for the majority of the race.”

Cromwell and Donoghue

Gavin Cromwell’s Aspurofthemoment prevailed as the 4/1 favourite under Keith Donoghue in the Langtons Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle.

The performance was a stable debut for the gelding, who was previously trained by Eugene O’Sullivan.

“We bought him in Goresbridge before Christmas and that’s his first run. We’re still trying to figure him out to be honest,” Cromwell said.

“I don’t think he was in love with the ground and, when he got him out onto the better ground up the straight, he rallied really well.

“He’ll definitely go further and we’ll see what the handicapper does.

“It’s a great initiative to have one of these races on a big day like this, it’s great for the owners.”