15:25 Gowran Park

Thursday 28 January 2021

All13:1513:4514:2014:5015:2516:0016:30

Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 7m 11.8s

Acapella Bourgeois^h²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 156| D

7/1

Prominent for long way when sixth in this race 12 months ago. Should be spot on for this after chasing home stablemate Al Boum Photo on Tramore return 27 days ago. Much respected.

Form: 00261-2

Tout Est Permis^t³¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-9| J: E Walsh⁽⁵⁾| T: N Meade| OR: 155| C

22/1

Course winner. 66/1 and blinkered first time, tailed-off ninth of 14 to A Plus Tard in Savills Chase at Leopardstown (3m, soft) over Christmas but he is very smart on his day.

Form: 53-2359

Alpha Des Obeaux^b,t⁷⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 152| C

33/1

Runner-up in this off 3 lb higher in 2019 but doesn't obviously arrive in same form, finishing well-beaten last of 5 to Bachasson in Clonmel Oil Chase 77 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 333-595

Any Second Now^b⁵⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Mark Walsh| T: T M Walsh| OR: 152

18/1

Former Kim Muir winner at Cheltenham. Ended last season with a win Naas Grade 3 chase. Sharper for a couple of comeback runs over hurdles in recent months. Respected back over fences.

Form: 2U31-99

Mortal^t³¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Brendan Foley⁽⁷⁾| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 152

100/1

Latest win in chase at Killarney in August. 25/1, seventeenth of 20 in handicap hurdle at Leopardstown (3m, soft) 31 days ago. Switches from hurdles to chase. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: U18F40

Brahma Bull²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 151

12/1

Smart chaser who reappearance with good second of 4 to Minella Indo in Navan Grade 2 in November. Unseated early at Tramore since. Handicap debut. Interesting for top yard.

Form: 2161-2U

Cabaret Queen²⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: C P McNamara⁽⁵⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148

25/1

Muster National winner last season and added Kerry National to tally in September. below par when well-held third in Fairyhouse Grade 3 latest but evidently well suited to demands of these races.

Form: 00-3123

Class Conti^p1,t³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: M P Fogarty| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147

11/1

Second in this off 2 lb lower a year ago. No shown in hurdle/chase this season but this may have been the target all along. Has first-time cheekpieces added to his usual tongue tie.

Form: P5F2-P0

Spyglass Hill⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-0| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 146| C

10/1

Course winner. Pulled up in handicaps on first 2 starts this term but back on track when 9 lengths second in Gowran conditions chase last time. Player for a trainer who took this in 2017.

Form: 2F1-PP2

Saturnas^p1³²

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 143

33/1

Smart at his best but well held on both outings this term. Needs first-time cheekpieces to help spark a revival.

Form: 6052/P0

Discordantly³²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: R M Power| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 141| C

9/1

Course winner. Latest win in chase at Galway in October. Respectable ninth of 22 in handicap at Leopardstown (3m, soft, 12/1) over Christmas.

Form: F14-149

Roaring Bull^b³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-9| J: Jordan Gainford⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 141

20/1

Respectable tenth of 22 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (3m, soft, 22/1) over Christmas ago, making effort earlier than ideal. Fifth in this off 1 lb higher mark 12 months ago.

Form: 5P-P2P0

Dunvegan³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: B J Cooper| T: P A Fahy| OR: 139

12/1

As good as ever when fourth of 17 at Punchestown in November but pulled up in a big field at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Form: 3132-4P

Coko Beach^b1²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 138| BF

8/1

Useful hurdler and though failing to win has quickly reached similar standard switched to fences this term. First-time blinkers replace usual cheekpieces now handicapping first time in this sphere.

Form: 09-2423

Run Wild Fred^b²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-4| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G Elliott| OR: 136

15/2

Useful 3m hurdle winner. Now 0-5 over fences but latest second at Punchestown (25, heavy) in first -time blinkers (retained) was a creditable effort. Makes handicap debut.

Form: 1-34552

Speak Easy³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 136

22/1

Promise over fences last term but hasn't returned in same form, managing only sixteenth of 22 in handicap at Leopardstown (3m, soft) over Christmas. Others more obvious.

Form: 3F3-440

Ten Ten³²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-4| J: Simon Torrens⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Dempsey| OR: 136

7/1

Shaped nicely on hurdle reappearance but failed to build on that when only twelfth of 22 back over fence at Leopardstown over Christmas, not appearing to see out 3m.

Form: 5143-50

Smoking Gun^p1,t²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 135| BF| C| D

10/1

Five wins from 16 NH runs. 3/1, good third of 8 in handicap chase at Cork (20f, heavy) 26 days ago. Back up in trip. Cheekpieces on first time. Player if getting a run. RESERVE.

Form: 3195-73

Non-Runners

Dounikos⁶⁰

Weight: 10-8| Age: 10

T: G Elliott J: Sean O'Keeffe

Aforementioned³²

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: G Elliott J: Reserve 2

The Big Dog²⁸

Weight: 10-3| Age: 8

T: Peter Fahey J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Acapella Bourgeois (7/1), Ten Ten (7/1), Run Wild Fred (15/2), Coko Beach (8/1), Discordantly (9/1), Spyglass Hill (10/1), The Big Dog (10/1), Smoking Gun (10/1), Class Conti (11/1), Dunvegan (12/1), Brahma Bull (12/1), Any Second Now (18/1), Roaring Bull (20/1), Speak Easy (22/1), Tout Est Permis (22/1), Cabaret Queen (25/1), Saturnas (33/1), Dounikos (33/1), Aforementioned (33/1), Alpha Des Obeaux (33/1), Mortal (100/1)

Willie Mullins saddles five as he goes in search of a sixth win in this since 2012 and ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS is taken to make light of top weight on the back of an encouraging reappearance behind the yard's dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo. Stablemate Brahma Bull is interesting now tackling a handicap for the first time. Any Second Now and first-time blinkered Coko Beach are also on the shortlist.