Goffs Thyestes Chase: six runners for the shortlist

The Goffs Thyestes Chase at Park is the race that affectionaly “stops a county” but its pull goes a lot further than Kilkenny. 

A maximum field of 18 has been declared for Thursday's feature, and most will have their supporters in a typically wide-open renewal.

Between them, Gordon Elliott (six runners) and Willie Mullins (three) are responsible for half of the field. The latter has saddled the winner nine times this century and his main hopes appear to be Glengouly, who is unexposed as a stayer, and Bronn, yet to recapture his smart novice form.

The pair of them cannot be ignored but don’t make my shortlist of six. Enjoy the big race live on Racing TV at 2.50pm, with the Galmoy Hurdle, featuring Monkfish, being immediately before.

Trainer: Gordon Elliott. Best odds: 12/1. 

First hinted he had a big staying handicap in him when a close fourth in the 2022 Kim Muir as a novice and his third in the Troytown at Navan in November, when he rallied gamely, gave a reminder of his powers after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. He’s due the rub of the green after being brought down a couple of times in similar races and Danny Gilligan’s 5lb claim may just tip things in his favour. 

Trainer: Gordon Elliott. Best odds: 16/1. 

Runner-up in the 2022 Irish Grand National and runs off the same mark here. He was a big eye-catcher over 3m 5f at Fairyhouse last time, where he paid for a sweeping mid-race move, having been a fair fifth in the Troytown before that. No surprise if he improves on his creditable sixth in this race last year, when he might have made the frame had he jumped cleaner. He’s slipped 3lb in the interim. 

Trainer: Pat Fahy. Best odds: 11/1. 

 It’s probably slipped your mind that this horse went off the well-backed joint-favourite for the 2022 Scottish Grand National (it had mine) after his eye-catching fifth in the Leinster National. He pulled up lame at Ayr and spent 20 months on the sidelines but three spins over hurdles this term, over inadequate trips, should have teed him up for this. I’m sure his latest effort, when fifth in a big field at Leopardstown, will have satisfied connections and the handicapper has eased him 7lb since we last saw him over fences in Ireland. 

Trainer: Gordon Elliott. Best odds: 7/1. 

Seems unlikely to ever be a reliable commodity and it’s worth keeping in mind he’s refused to race in the past. However, he’s a rugged stayer building up a decent portfolio in events such as this and plenty will fancy him to go one better than last year when he was touched off by a short head. Shaped as if needing the run when fourth in the Troytown – he faded late in the scene – and Jack Kennedy, who cannot stop riding winners this week, appears to have chosen him ahead of the stable’s other five runners. 

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead. Best odds: 12/1. 

A leap of faith is required as he’s not fired in his two races this season, but he ran well for a long way in the Troytown last time before the towel was thrown in. Henry de Bromhead has had two months to revive him and I can’t shake from my mind his massively eye-catching run when fourth in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at the end of 2022. He’s back off the same mark here and his CV includes a commanding win at this track. 

Trainer: Sam Curley. Best odds: 6/1. 

This strong-travelling mare progressed well last season and dug deep to land a strong edition of the Kim Muir at Cheltenham in March. She also moved powerfully for a long way in the Irish National only to wilt when it mattered most. She’s going to need to find a bit more to defy the attentions of the handicapper but a couple of runs over hurdles should have put her spot-on for this assignment.