Speaking on this week’s Sporting Life Racing Podcast, Timeform expert Billy Nash made the case for Willie Mullins winning a 10th Thyestes Handicap Chase.
GLENGOULY – 2.48 Gowran Park
Thyestes Chase day at Gowran is one of my favourite day’s racing in Ireland. If you haven’t been there, it’s a cracking day to go racing. It’s a fantastic card and there’s always a brilliant atmosphere too.
We’ve a really interesting renewal of the Thyestes this year and it’s wide open, as the betting market will tell you.
Gordon Elliott's Will Do is top on Timeform ratings and he ran well in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase last time. He has to have a chance again having finished just behind Nick Rockett at Leopardstown.
Nick Rockett has a big chance for Willie Mullins too. He went up 2lb for his run in the Paddy Power although he was ridden by Sean Cleary-Farrell that day who took 7lb off him so it’s going to be a big ask here.
You can make cases for plenty of others, the likes of Yeah Man, Shannon Royale – especially if the rain comes as he’s a proper stayer – but if I had nail my colours to the mast and go for one I’d have to go with GLENGOULY.
Another one of Willie Mullins’s, he ran a cracker in the race last year when second. He’s only a pound higher this time around and if you look at his form figures since last year’s Thyestes, they’re not very inspiring but he ran in the Plate at Cheltenham over two and a half (miles) where he made the running and he was too free and didn’t quite get home.
He then ran in the National where he made the running for some of the way but he doesn’t stay that trip, and then he probably hadn’t fully recovered from that effort when he ran at Punchestown.
But I thought he ran well in the Tim Duggan at Limerick on his reappearance, he finished sixth but he wasn’t given a hard race and, like I said, he’s only a pound higher than the mark he finished second off in this race last year. And he’s got Sean Cleary-Farrell taking 7lb off him on this occasion.
Around 10/1 I think he’s a good each-way bet and will give you a good run for your money.
ASTERION FORLONGE - 2.13 Gowran Park
The John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle is an interesting race there on Thursday too and to be honest I quite like ASTERION FORLONGE.
I know he’s 11, but I thought he ran OK at Leopardstown over Christmas which was his first start of the year and he’s entitled to come on for it. Going back right-handed will suit him and he’s getting 5lb off Hiddenvalley Lake which I think is going to be very significant.
He could well get a soft lead as well and Gowran can be a front-runners’ track so I’d be quite sweet on him. I think he’ll take a lot of beating as he hasn’t got that many miles on the clock for a horse his age.
I think he might just do for Hiddenvalley Lake, who had a very hard race in the Long Walk Hurdle on his reappearance.
Published at 1400 GMT on 22/01/25
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