Waterford trainer Bob Murphy hopeful of more big race success in historic Goffs Thyestes Chase

Grade 2 winner Darrens Hope is among an entry of 31 horses for the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park on Thursday, January 26. 

Her trainer, Waterford man Bob Murphy, lit up Punchestown in November after his star mare’s success in the Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Pearl Novice Chase and he might get a chance to steal the show in front of the RTÉ cameras once again on Thursday week. 

Ridden by Danny Mullins, Darrens Hope edged out the Gordon Elliott-trained Minella Crooner to give the Cappoquin, County Waterford trainer his biggest career win at Punchestown and not surprisingly it is Elliott who dominates the entries for the latest renewal of the historic Goffs Thyestes Chase. 

A two-time winner of the race, Elliott has made 11 entries and his team are headed by 2021 Goffs Thyestes Chase scorer Coko Beach, this season’s Bar One Racing Porterstown Handicap Chase winner Punitive, Escaria Ten, Dunboyne and Pencilfulloflead. 

Willie Mullins has eight wins in the race to his name and his eight entries include early top-weight and last year’s runner-up Franco De Port, Saturday’s Warwick runner-up Mr Incredible, Captain Kangaroo and Carefully Selected. 

Noel Meade has made four entries with last month’s Paddy Power Chase runner-up Diol Ker and Farceur Du Large chief among them while Henry de Bromhead has Gabbys Cross, Donkey Years could represent Eric McNamara and Barry Connell has a possible runner in the shape of Espanito Bello. 

Eddie Scally, General Manager of Gowran Park, said: “We are gearing up for a very special day on Thursday week and as always, the Goffs Thyestes Chase is central to a fantastic day’s racing. It is a huge event for our local community and for the county as a whole. The entries for the race are typically strong and we are delighted with them. We can’t wait to be up and running.”