14:50 Gowran Park

Thursday 26 January 2023

All13:0513:4014:1514:5015:2515:5516:25

Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase (Grade A)

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 6m 50.02s

Escaria Ten^b⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: A P Heskin| T: G Elliott| OR: 151| D

9/1

Very smart chaser who shaped well when 2 lengths second of 5 in Thurles listed race on his reappearance last month. Lightly raced enough to think he could yet have a bigger performance in him.

Form: 3P/829-2

Pencilfulloflead^p1,t⁷⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-11| J: Mr R James⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 150

15/2

7¾ lengths last of 4 to Blue Lord in Clonmel Oil Chase (8/1) at Clonmel (20.4f, heavy) 70 days ago. Up in trip. Cheekpieces on 1st time. Entitled to build on that and has services of useful amateur.

Form: 1123/F-4

Carefully Selected³⁰

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 147

9/2

Respectable eleventh of 28 in handicap chase (16/1) at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft) 30 days ago. Trainer going well. Claims if building on that.

Form: 3111U/0

Coko Beach^b⁶⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: B W Harvey⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 145| CD

12/1

C&D winner. 40/1, respectable fourth of 18 in handicap chase at Navan (24f, heavy) 60 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 6448-94

Gabbys Cross³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 144

7/1

Latest win in chase at Galway in July. Back from 3 months off when good sixth of 28 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft) 30 days ago. Stable in good form. Solid claims.

Form: 915-156

Frontal Assault^b²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Kieren Buckley⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 142

10/1

1 win from 3 runs this season. 25/1, below form 31½ lengths third of 7 to Gaillard Du Mesnil in Neville Hotels (Fort Leney) Novices' Chase at Leopardstown (24f, soft) 28 days ago. Others more appealing.

Form: 2P2-153

Braeside^p⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: D F O'Regan| T: G Elliott| OR: 141

80/1

28/1, tailed-off ninth of 12 to Punitive in handicap chase at Fairyhouse (29f, heavy) 53 days ago. Risky proposition at present.

Form: 4P3P-P9

Espanito Bello⁸⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-1| J: M J M O'Sullivan⁽⁵⁾| T: B Connell| OR: 140

8/1

Back from 10 months off when respectable fifth of 16 in handicap hurdle at Galway (22f, heavy) 89 days ago. Fairly treated, returned to chasing, and is not out of things.

Form: 20/0P5-5

Defi Bleu^p,t³⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁷⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 138| D

25/1

Unreliable individual. 50/1, below form seventeenth of 28 in handicap chase at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft) 30 days ago. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 1P-6280

Lieutenant Command^p1²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 10-13| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 138

40/1

Below form fifth of 13 in handicap chase at Limerick (19.7f, heavy, 18/1) 29 days ago. Up in trip. Hopes may rest on first-time cheekpieces.

Form: 56UF-F5

Punitive^b⁵³

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Jordan Gainford| T: G Elliott| OR: 137

10/1

In good form this season, second at Galway and Cheltenham before getting back to winning ways in valuable Porterstown handicap at Fairyhouse last month. 8 lb higher now but expected to go well again.

Form: 45-22U1

Donkey Years^p,t³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-9| J: C P McNamara| T: E McNamara| OR: 134

14/1

Unseated rider latest but had posted good third of 16 in handicap chase at Limerick (24f, soft, 6/1) previously and merits consideration.

Form: 321-93U

Dunboyne^p³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-8| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 133| C

25/1

Unreliable sort. Course winner in November. 12/1, pulled up in minor event chase at Fairyhouse (21f, heavy) 36 days ago, never going well from early final circuit. Others more persuasive.

Form: 0-66R1P

Egality Mans^p³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Sean O'Keeffe| T: W P Mullins| OR: 133| D

28/1

Cheekpieces on for 1st time, possibly amiss when pulled up in handicap chase at Leopardstown (24.2f, soft, 22/1) 30 days ago, pulled up before last. Trainer going well. Something to find on form.

Form: 134-30P

Captain Kangaroo^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: K Callaghan⁽⁷⁾| T: W P Mullins| OR: 132

20/1

Latest win in chase at Cork in November. Failed to complete twice since and makes limited appeal.

Form: 4421UF

Fakiera^b¹¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Sean Flanagan| T: G Elliott| OR: 132

12/1

Remains a maiden over fences but posted good second of 10 in handicap chase (5/1) at Punchestown (22.7f, heavy) latest and is only 1 lb higher here.

Form: 465242

Darrens Hope⁶⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 10-6| J: Danny Mullins| T: R Murphy| OR: 131

13/2

2 wins from 6 runs this season. Career best when winning 5-runner novice chase at Punchestown (22.6f, good to soft, 20/1) 67 days ago. Warrants respect back handicapping.

Form: 124281

Flash De Touzaine²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-6| J: R Deegan| T: Miss E Doyle| OR: 131

33/1

Running creditably when fell in handicap chase at Limerick (19.7f, heavy, 10/1) 29 days ago. Others look better treated, however.

Form: 724-10F

Non-Runners

Rambranlt'jac⁶⁰

Weight: 10-5| Age: 7

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 1

Stones And Roses³⁰

Weight: 10-5| Age: 9

T: W P Mullins J: Reserve 2

Regina Dracones³⁰

Weight: 10-2| Age: 8

T: T Gibney J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

Carefully Selected (9/2), Darrens Hope (13/2), Gabbys Cross (7/1), Pencilfulloflead (15/2), Espanito Bello (8/1), Escaria Ten (9/1), Frontal Assault (10/1), Punitive (10/1), Coko Beach (12/1), Fakiera (12/1), Donkey Years (14/1), Captain Kangaroo (20/1), Rambranlt'jac (20/1), Dunboyne (25/1), Defi Bleu (25/1), Egality Mans (28/1), Flash De Touzaine (33/1), Lieutenant Command (40/1), Stones And Roses (50/1), Regina Dracones (50/1), Braeside (80/1)

Preference is for GABBYS CROSS, who shaped well on his return from a 3-month absence at Leopardstown last time and remains on a workable mark. Punitive and Escaria Ten head the list of dangers in a typically competitive renewal of this contest.