“We’re very happy”: Elliott & Mullins Clash in Thurles Grade 3 Showdown Ireland hosts just one of the four meetings taking place on Thursday and it’s a seven-race card at Thurles. There are plenty of reasons you shouldn’t miss it and the feature race is the Grade 3 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at 3.17. It’s well supported by some competitive handicap action, as well as a Listed novice chase for mares. Here are the owners, trainers and jockeys who could hold the key to success at Thurles and you’ll certainly recognise some of the names. Owners It’s always worth taking note whenever the great mare Honeysuckle’s famous light blue and white silks are on show and Kenny Alexander owns Rusty Harkness, who runs in the maiden hurdle and his pedigree suggests the 2m7f trip will be a big help. JP McManus runs Pride Of Place and Splashing Out in the opening race and the former makes the most appeal, now down in grade. He was an impressive winner at Listowel over a longer trip in September and, although he struggled at Limerick and Leopardstown, this race looks significantly easier. Robcour has had two winners from seven runners in the last fortnight and the thoroughly unexposed Tahaa runs in the Listed novice chase. She won over hurdles in France and was keeping on when falling two out over fences at Cork. Trainers Willie Mullins is the man to follow at Thurles this season and, whilst that may be true of most courses around Ireland, he’s operating at a strike-rate of 28 per cent here so far this season, with nine winners from his 32 runners. He sends Karia Des Blaises over for the Colreevy Mares Novice Chase and she looks like a solid favourite, especially as the yard is in such good form. Bon Viveur is actually the outsider of the field for the feature race but he won a Tramore maiden hurdle in November. Gordon Elliott remains ahead of Mullins in the title race, but it remains to be seen if that will remain the case for much longer. The gap is down to around €500,000 and he’ll be keen to extend that with his four runners at Thurles, of which Timeless Treaty is the most likely winner. Philip Rothwell runs four across the card and the hat-trick-seeking Rockbrook is of obvious interest, while Hesgonethatway also managed to score last time out and there should be more to come from him in handicap company. Jockeys Paul Townend is 8/18 at Thurles this season and he will be on board both of Mullins’ runners. Karia Des Blaises failed to win over fences last season, but was runner-up on three occasions and should be getting off the mark sooner or later. Bon Viveur has a bit to prove on the evidence of his latest effort, but is far from out of it. Conditional rider Michael Keneally is making a real name for himself at the moment and the 5lb claimer takes the ride on Eoin Griffin’s Splashing Out. Tiernan Power Roche is another young jockey with a big future and Rockbrook appears to have every chance and the nine-year-old is his sole ride of the day.
