*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules
Gowran Park on the last Thursday of January has long been a tradition for Irish National Hunt fans and while that won’t be the case this time, the RTE and RacingTV cameras will be there for the Goffs Thyestes Chase, next week.
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It’s no surprise that Willie Mullins holds the majority of the aces in the betting having won the race eight times. It’s his recent record that catches the eye however, as the Closutton handler has supplied the winner in three of the last six years and is going for a three-peat having won it with Invitation Only and Total Recall in the last two seasons. And looking at his likely team, there’s every chance that he’ll add to his tally on Thursday.
Acapella Bourgeois and Brahma Bull are the two most prominent horses in the betting for the champion trainer having both contested Tramore’s Savills Chase on New Years’ Day behind Al Boum Photo. Brahma Bull didn’t get any further than the first fence but Acapella Bourgeois put it up to the two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner until tiring badly close home. He does run off a 4lbs higher mark than when sixth in this race 12 months ago but he’s probably the pick of those Mullins’ entries.
Of Mullins’ seven entries, Koshari is most definitely his most intriguing runner. He overcame an 875 day layoff when carrying top weight to victory over hurdles at Cork at the start of the month, which should put him spot on for this. But it’s his chase form which gives him a right chance now.
Having bolted up on his chasing debut at Thurles in December 2017, he then finished second in a Grade 3 novice chase at Punchestown behind subsequent Thyestes Chase winner Invitation Only. Behind him that day were The Storyteller, a two-time Grade 1 winner since, Mossback and Mall Dini.
There is no doubt that he’s well-in on his best form.
Gordon Elliott won his sole Thyestes Chase in 2018 with Monbeg Notorious, which was making his handicap debut off a mark of 137, and it’s quite notable that Elliott has entered Coko Beach with a very similar profile. He also makes his handicap debut on Thursday, after four runs, and it’s quite surprising that he’s only been given a mark of 138 despite finishing a close second to Pencilfulloflead in October and having contested the Drinmore Novice Chase on just his second start. He appears to have been laid out for this race and he must have a massive chance of bagging the prize.
Other Elliott runners that deserve a mention are Farclas and two-time Grade 1 winner Death Duty, while the JP Dempsey-trained and lightly-raced Ten Ten, is one of three entries who carries the colours of leading owner JP McManus.
Henry de Bromhead’s Spyglass Hill has been well at the head of the market in recent days and while it’s worth noting that he’s never been out of the first two places on both of his Gowran Park starts, he was pulled up in both the Galway Plate and Kerry National when his jumping went to pieces. That’s a huge worry in this 22-runner race.
VERDICT
You’ll get short odds about either Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott winning Thursday’s feature and while it’s extremely tempting to side with the lightly-raced Koshari, there’s a strong possibility that COKO BEACH might just have the edge on the day. Everything about his season points to him being targeted at this big prize and he looks to have a wonderful chance of giving Gigginstown House Stud their third win in this famous race.
*Odds quoted on the widget are Future Racing / Antepost prices which means that if your selection does not run in the race for whatever reason – you will lose your stake under traditional Antepost rules
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