Nick Rockett fires home for Thyestes glory Nick Rockett brought up a 10th Grade 3 Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park for Willie Mullins with a strong staying performance. This was a also a third Thyestes for jockey Paul Townend and a first for owner Stewart Andrew. Nick Rockett, 9/2 joint favourite, lost his place in the first circuit, but made eye-catching headway in third on the long approach to three out. He raced track-width apart from Velvet Elvis at the penultimate fence as Paul Townend kept him to the outer along the stands' side. Nick Rockett led narrowly over the last and kept on best to see off Velvet Elvis (22/1) by two and a-quarter lengths. The front two had the race to themselves at the business end as Favori De Champdou was 13 lengths adrift in third. Yeah Man, 9/2 joint favourite, completed the placings in fourth. Townend said: "Yeah, brilliant! Huge race to win in this part of the world. I'm living in this part of the world a long time now. "It has been a lucky race for me and I'm just delighted for Stewart (Andrew, owner). He has been patient with this horse and I'm glad I stuck with him because I thought there was a big day in him and he has provided me with one today. "I'm not sure he was in love with it (ground) - he's just tough, but he had handled very heavy ground in Navan last year. He ran a cracker that day in second and I'm not sure we didn't leave the Irish National behind us there. He had a grueller and was never really the same horse after it, but ran a cracker in Sandown again. "He was going a bit right with me, but I had a plan (down the outer) and I was going to stick to it. Thankfully, it paid off. Who knows? Maybe he was just the best horse and he won anyway. "I had a walk around here last evening and I knew where I was going from then." Andrew added: “Sadie (wife) was a local lass from Goresbridge, but sadly died in December 2022. She got to see him run in his first bumper just five days before she passed away. “This horse has been a fantastic servant and to win here means so much more. It gives me an inner feeling of consolement as it’s what Sadie always wanted. “It would be great to have a runner in the Grand National. He’s honest, he jumps well and he stays so that’s all you can ask for in a National horse.” Mullins said: “There will be great celebrations in the area tonight as Sadie’s family are all from around here. “It was a tremendous performance. For me, today was the day. You might get a chance to win one big handicap with a horse in a season and what a race to win. “We’ll probably look towards a National whether it be an Irish or Aintree. “When we were growing up the Thyestes was always a National trial. The weights used to come out before the Thyestes that time.” Paddy Power shortened Nick Rockett from 33/1 to 20/1 for the Grand National, and from 25/1 to 16/1 for the Ultima. Additional reporting by Alan Magee
