'I couldn't put anyone off him' - Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins assess their huge Thyestes teams

There aren't many big handicaps Gavin Cromwell has yet to mop up in Ireland, but the prestigious Goffs Thyestes Chase is one lucrative pot he has yet to scoop. 

Cromwell has already won the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse, the Paddy Power Chase and the Kerry National this season, and now his thoughts have turned to the Thyestes where Yeah Man looks to have a terrific chance of breaking his duck. 

The eight-year-old bloomed in bottomless conditions when landing the Grand National Trial at Haydock last February and his recent third in the Troytown Chase at Navan was only 1lb shy of that effort according to Racing Post Ratings. He is only 2lb higher now and seems to cope with any conditions. He's one for any shortlist and the fact that Keith Donoghue is getting all the way down to 11st 1lb tells you all you need to know about his prospects. 

Cromwell is also represented by Velvet Elvis, who wears cheekpieces for the first time and has the services of 5lb claimer Conor Stone-Walsh. 

Local hero Willie Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the Thyestes, winning it nine times in all, most recently in 2023 with Carefully Selected, and this time around he runs five in his quest for win number ten. 

Coko Beach: 2021 winner carries top weight this timeCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Paul Townend has unsurprisingly picked Nick Rockett. He looks the class act and there is a whiff of past winners Djakadam and Invitation Only in him. He might be only 1-6 over fences but doesn't look fully exposed yet, and there were lots of positives in his return to action in the Paddy Power Chase. Conditions will be right up his street, too. He could be the one and 8-1 looks decent value. 

Last year's runner-up Glengouly is only 1lb higher in the handicap this time around and Mullins has booked Sean Cleary-Farrell to take off 7lb. He must have decent place claims, while Spanish Harlem will need to jump better and both Macdermott and Klarc Kent have been disappointing this term and look up against it. 

Gordon Elliott's last win in the Thyestes was in 2021 with Coko Beach and the lovable grey has top weight four years on. He heads a six-strong team from the Cullentra camp that includes the mudlark Where It All Began. He was sent off 10-1 for the Welsh National and hit a low of 6-5 on Betfair in running when tanking into contention early in the home straight. However, a shuddering error four out knocked the stuffing out of him from there, but he cannot be underestimated off a 1lb lower mark. 

The novice Shannon Royale looks like he would stay forever and an opening mark of 140 seems fair, but Sam Ewing stays loyal to Will Do. 

The subject of a massive plunge in the Paddy Power Chase, Will Do was eventually supported all the way into 5-1 before finishing fifth to Perceval Legallois. That experience will stand him in good stead and these softer conditions will be more up his street. 

The Thyestes may be a long-distance slog in the mud, a survival of the fittest, but six of the last ten winners have carried 11st 3lb or more so the classier types can often rise to the top. 

Nick Rockett: conditions should be idealCredit: Caroline Norris

Going report

The going on the chase course at Gowran Park is currently soft with the possibility of 6mm of rain prior to racing. 

What they say 

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Coko Beach, Favori De Champdou, Shannon Royale, Stuzzikini, Where It All Began and Will Do
Will Do ran well in the Paddy Power and that was a good solid effort from a novice. I'd like to think there is a big staying handicap chase in him at some stage and hopefully this might be it. Where It All Began would have gone close at Chepstow had he not got the fourth-last all wrong and conditions should really suit him here. I couldn't put anyone off him. Shannon Royale has taken really well to fences and I'd say that was a decent beginners' chase he won at Punchestown. He's been in good form since and goes there with a good each-way shout. Coko Beach has won the race before and is some servant. He'll run his usual sound race, although it won't be easy giving so much weight away to some less-exposed sorts. Favori De Champdou will like the ground and will come on for his return in the Paddy Power. He's not a bad horse and Josh [Williamson] takes off a valuable 7lb. Stuzzikini had his day in the sun in the Troytown and life will be a bit tougher here off 9lb higher, but he's a smashing stayer and I wouldn't rule out another big run from him.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Nick Rockett, Glengouly, Macdermott, Spanish Harlem and Klarc Kent
Nick Rockett ran a cracker at Leopardstown. When Paul got off him as a novice last season he wanted to go for the Irish National and he finished seventh in it, but he was up there turning for home. I think he's a stamina horse and he has a lot of weight and Paul has picked him. I thought he might go for Glengouly, but he disappointed a bit at Christmas, although I think he'll come on a lot for that and he was second in it last season. Macdermott normally takes four or five runs so that's a worry as he's a gross horse. Looking at his Scottish National win, maybe he needs better ground even though he's a big, heavy horse. Spanish Harlem has been disappointing but I'd love it if he came back to form. Klarc Kent will love the trip and ground. He disappointed at Christmas so I hope he can come back to form, but he might take a few runs as well.

Eddie Harty, joint-trainer of Grandero Bello
I actually thought he ran very well in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. He travelled lovely into the straight that day, but I'd say the ground was just too quick for him, unfortunately. It will be a lot softer than that here and it will suit him much better. He seems to be in very good form.

Barry Connell, trainer of My Immortal
It will be typical Thyestes ground and he'll be fine on it. We fancied him at Fairyhouse and he ran disappointingly, but we're just going to put a line through it. He's been working very well and we think he's got a decent each-way chance.

Oliver McKiernan, trainer of Bushmans Pass
He has a nice weight. It's his first run back for a long time and he'll probably need it, but he's in good form. He will need all the juice in the ground. It's not been easy to train him with the weather the way it's been.

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