Now Is The Hour has final word in dramatic Thyestes

Now Is The Hourlunged late to claim a dramatic last-gasp victory in the Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

A fiercely-competitive field of 18 runners went to post for the latest renewal of the prestigious handicap and while the Willie Mullins-trained 7-2 favourite Captain Cody was an early casualty, the champion trainer still looked set to strike Thyestes gold for a record-extending 11th time, as Spanish Harlem and 7lb claimer Sean Cleary-Farrell held sway on the approach to the final fence.

However, the race quickly changed complexion, with the eight-year-old unseating his rider and seemingly handing the race the hat-trick-seeking Better Times Ahead, only for Eoin Staples to conjure a late charge out of Now Is The Hour to join him close to the line.

Following a brief but tense wait, the judge confirmed Now Is The Hour (8-1) had got up by a head, completing a treble on the card for Gold Cup-winning trainer Gavin Cromwell, who had not saddled a winner with his previous 40 runners.

He said: “This is unbelievable stuff and I wasn’t sure if he had won, as it was close. Eoin was very good on him and is great value for his 5lb claim. It is a fantastic race to win and what a difference a day can make!

“It is the first time he has got his ground since he won a Grade Two hurdle race at Haydock.

“The race is a big part of the calendar with a huge history and while I had finished second in this race last year, it is great to have your name on the cup.”

Nick Rockett landed last year’s Thyestes Chase before going on to win the Randox Grand National at Aintree for Willie and Patrick Mullins, a double also achieved by Hedgehunter (2005) and Numbersixvalverde (2006).

Now Is The Hour was cut to 20-1 from 33-1 for the world’s most famous steeplechase by Coral, but Cromwell is first aiming to settle some unfinished business at the Cheltenham Festival, with his charge having fallen two from home when still in contention for last season’s National Hunt Chase.

“He again qualifies for the National Hunt Chase so will go straight there, despite having a penalty for winning this,” Cromwell added.

“You couldn’t have said he was beaten when falling at the second-last at Cheltenham last March and he was a maiden (over fences) coming here, so it was a nice way to break his maiden tag.

“If he doesn’t do anything else, he has been fantastic for us and we have been on the cold list for a while, so this is well appreciated.

“There was definitely a period when my horses were out of form, but I had a lot of moderate and badly handicapped ones too, which probably made everything look a lot worse.

“We didn’t get to restock like you’d love to for this season and last year we were so lucky to win big handicaps when everything fell into place. We had the first three home in the Dan Moore Chase last year, but those same horses ran again this year when they were badly handicapped. That’s the nature of the game.”

Joseph O’Brien will give Home By The Lee a fifth shot at the Stayers’ Hurdle after he bounced back to form.

The 11-year-old has run in the three-mile hurdling crown at the Cheltenham Festival in each of the past four seasons, finishing sixth in 2022, fifth in 2023, third in 2024 and then unseating his regular partner J J Slevin last season.

The 10-time winner had disappointed on his last couple of outings, most recently finishing fourth behind Teahupoo in a first-time visor when bidding for back-to-back Christmas Hurdle wins at Leopardstown.

But with the visor removed and blinkers reapplied, Home By The Lee (3-1) showed his true colours in the Grade Two John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle, eventually wearing down the 9-4 favourite Staffordshire Knot in the testing conditions to prevail by half a length.

O’Brien said: “He has bundles of stamina and a great will to win, which are two things you need to win here today with the conditions. I am very proud of the horse and being an 11-year-old, we will enjoy every run that he has left.

“It is a prestigious race to win and hopefully there is more to come this season.”

Home By The Lee was cut to 33-1 from 50-1 by Coral for the Stayers’ Hurdle, and his trainer added: “We were feeling our way with him when he finished second in this race back in 2022 and he has been a high-level staying hurdler for the last number of seasons.

“On the figures he has run right up to his best today and he will go back to Cheltenham for the fifth time in March. He got brought down last year, which was probably his best shot, but you never know what might happen this year.”