'Most treasured success' - Three Thyestes winners who conquered Aintree's ultimate test One of the most valuable and competitive handicaps of the season in Ireland, the Thyestes Chase, is run at Gowran Park and the 2026 renewal is set to take place on Thursday. Whilst it’s a good race in its own right, it can be considered a useful Grand National trial, as three winners in the 21st century have gone on to land the big one at Aintree. We’re going to take a closer look at the three horses who have managed to complete the double and they include 2025’s winner. Hedgehunter - 2004-2005 The Trevor Hemmings-owned Hedgehunter began the 2003/2004 season by finishing fourth in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and a trip to Chepstow for the Welsh Grand National then followed, where he finished third. A return to winning ways was next on the agenda, as he went on to win the 2004 Thyestes Chase by a comfortable margin. Well fancied beforehand, he went off as the 100/30 favourite and was prominent throughout before going away to score by eight lengths. He was unlucky in the Grand National that year and had every chance before an unfortunate fall at the final fence. His next campaign was geared towards a second Aintree bid and he won the Bobbyjo Chase before going on to win the National by 14 lengths. Numbersixvalverde - 2005-2006 The Thyestes was to produce consecutive Grand National winners, as 2006 Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde had also won the previous season’s Gowran Park contest. Trained by Martin Brassil, the son of Broken Hearted also managed to win the Irish Grand National. Brassil’s gelding needed every yard of the three-mile trip to win at Gowran in 2005 and he stayed on well up the run-in to lead as they crossed the line. Victory in the Irish Grand National then followed and he battled on well to score by just shy of a length at Fairyhouse. It’s no surprise that he went on to contest the Grand National at Aintree the following year and the horse must have had near limitless reserves of stamina, as he forged clear to beat Hedgehunter by six lengths. Nick Rockett - 2025 Nick Rockett provided an emotional Willie Mullins with his most treasured big race success, as the trainer’s son Patrick was the rider on board. It was obvious once he lined up in the bet365 Gold Cup as a novice that this horse was going to be a Grand National horse. Stablemate Minella Cocooner was the winner that day, but Nick Rockett stayed on well to finish third in the end. Paul Townend was on board for his Thyestes Chase success last year and it was a competitive race, with the third winning a decent prize since. He jumped to his right on occasion, but that didn’t prevent the son of Walk In The Park from coming out on top. Mullins’ gelding warmed up for Aintree with victory in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. Travelling strongly at Aintree, he began to make progress after the fourth-last and kept on well to beat stablemate I Am Maximus by two-and-a-half lengths.
