Tag: Gowran Park

Thyestes Chase Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Cheltenham trials will be coming thick and fast in the coming weeks and Gowran Park could provide some pointers on Thursday. The feature race is the Thyestes Chase, won last year by subsequent Gold Cup runner-up On His Own.

Willie Mullins tries to follow up with the lightly-raced Djakadam, a disappointing favourite in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November. The gelding won the Grade 2 Killiney Novices’ Chase at Leopardstown last season but fell four from home in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

He travelled nicely into contention at Newbury but weakened quickly in the straight. He could prove to be well handicapped off a mark of 145 but this will be a real test of stamina in the heavy ground. Considering his lack of jumping experience, I am prepared to look elsewhere for the winner.

Gallant Oscar looks to have been aimed at this by Tony Martin, having been kept over hurdles so far this season. He was quietly fancied for the Irish National in April but parted company with Davy Condon at the thirteenth. Better value may be the French import, Sadler’sflaure, trained by Jessica Harrington.

It is impossible to compare French and Irish form but he was four times a winner in his native country and ran well when chasing home Grand Jesture at Punchestown last month. That was only his second run since joining Harrington and he could be ready to run a big race on Thursday.

Goonyella ran in the Welsh National and the Irish National last season and likes it when the mud is flying. He was not disgraced behind Living Next Door last time out while The Job Is Right also ran well in that race. He came out and won at Punchestown but this will be three races in quick succession.

Earlier in the day, Monksland can book his place in the World Hurdle field by winning the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle. The eight-year-old was having his first race for two years when third to Lieutenant Colonel at Leopardstown last month and holds Dedigout, Zaidpour and Briar Hill on that form.

Noel Meade’s gelding was third to Simonsig in the Neptune and won the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2012 before injury intervened. He was as short as 5-1 for the World Hurdle after that and is a proven winner in heavy ground. With normal improvement, he should confirm the form with Briar Hill who was not that impressive last season in his prep races before falling at the festival. His future may lie over fences and Monksland can get back on the winning trail here.

Monksland 2.15 Gowran Park @6-4 Paddy Power

Sadler’sflaure 3.15 Gowran Park @8-1 William Hill

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4

Thyestes Chase Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The main jumping action on Thursday is over in Ireland at Gowran Park with the valuable Thyestes Chase. This race has been won in the past by Hedgehunter and Numbersixvalverde so has a reputation as something of a Grand National trial. On His Own won here two years ago but failed to add to the roll of honour at Aintree.

Willie Mullins was hopeful of On His Own in the National last year with Ruby Walsh on board but he faded tamely. It was a disappointing effort and he has only shown glimmers of form since, most recently when running on at the end of the Becher Chase. I’m not too sure what to make of that run because the winner Chance Du Roy ran no race at all at Haydock last weekend.

The going is certain to be on the slow side so the answer to this tricky race surely lies lower down the handicap. Jim Dreaper and Andrew Lynch are a combination to be respected and I like the look of Los Amigos. Most of these have only patchy recent form by Los Amigos appears to be still improving and adapted successfully to win over hurdles last time out.

Dreaper has admitted a slight concern over his lack of experience for a tough race like this but is hopeful that he will see out the trip. Ruby Walsh is aboard the top weight Vesper Bell but it is hard to fancy him after two failed trips across the water. He fell at the first in the Becher and then unseated his rider in the Warwick Classic.

Balnaslow may turn out to be the best of the four Mullins runners but he is closely weighted with Hunting Party on Thurles form from October. He came out on top that day by a length and a quarter but Hunting Party has a 5lbs pull and seems to have improved since. A win over this course will hold Hunting Party in good stead but he also tipped up at the first in the Paddy Power Chase.

Paul Carberry is in the saddle on Thursday and I’d imagine it would be the usual hold up tactics from the maestro. If he can get the horse safely over the first few fences and popping away in midfield, he could feature here and is attractively priced at 16-1. Trainer Dessie Hughes won here with Siegemaster in 2011 often targets this race.

The Troytown Chase winner Cootamundra has been put up 10lbs for that victory and that may prove too much Playing is on a hat-trick and acts well on this ground. He went up 11lbs after bolting up at Limerick and now a further 14lbs for winning in similar fashion at Cork. You don’t see many 11 year old horses improving so rapidly but 14-1 looks too big with BetVictor.

Paul Sweeney has put blinkers on the formerly useful Panther Claw and booked Barry Geraghty. I always tend to look at previous runnings of these big handicaps and he was third last year so could run better than of late.

I’d say the same of runner-up Tarquinius but he has looked well below his best and I’d be surprised if Gordon Elliott can get him sharp enough to win this.

Los Amigos at 8-1 Paddy Power

Playing at 14-1 BetVictor

Hunting Party at 16-1 Bet365