A bumper field will line up for the 2025 Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park on Thursday afternoon in a race that can often throw up a potential Grand National contender. The 3m contest starts at 2:48pm and our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the contest here and picks out his 1-2-3.

YEAH MAN
(Keith Donoghue/Gavin Cromwell)
A dour stayer, Yeah Man showed when winning the Grand National Trial at Haydock last season that he relishes a real test of stamina, but Gavin Cromwell’s eight-year-old failed to kick on from that win and was a well beaten ninth in the Irish Grand National. He made a pleasing return in the Troytown Handicap Chase last time out, where he finished third, but that decent performance has seen him been given a 2lbs rise, so he lines up here off a career high mark of 142. He will undoubtedly be doing all his best work in the closing stages of this race, but he may just be a little tapped for toe at the business end.
NICK ROCKETT
(Paul Townend/Willie Mullins)
Nick Rockett is another that has been given a 2lbs rise by the handicapper for his run last time out, where he was a fine fourth of top weight in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. The Willie Mullins-trained raider has been mooted as a potential Grand National candidate and showed when third in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last season that he is a decent stayer. He may have struggled to get home that day, so this trip of 3m could prove ideal to him, and while he does have a lot of weight to carry he is certainly one of the classiest runners in the field.

SHANNON ROYALE
(Mark Walsh/Gordon Elliott)
Second in a brace of beginners chases at Tipperary and Punchestown, Shannon Royale finally got his head in front for the first time over fences when downing High Class Hero in another beginners chase at Punchestown. Given an initial mark of 140 for this event the Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old is certainly one with huge potential to improve over fences as the season goes on, but his inexperience could halt his progression in such a hotly contested event, and is best watched.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
(Danny Gilligan/Gordon Elliott)
A winner of the Punchestown Grand National Trial back in February 2024, Where It All Began then went to the Cheltenham Festival and ran brilliantly to finish fourth in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase. Eighth in the Irish Grand National at the end of the season, Gordon Elliott’s raider failed to play any sort of role in the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on his first start this campaign. Pulled up that day he’s been dropped 1lb to a mark of 133, but he could still be in the handicapper’s grip.

REST OF THE FIELD
With six runners lining up for him, Elliott will have a number of leading chances for this event and Favori De Champdou has some smart form in the book and was last seen finishing eighth in the Paddy Power Chase, whilst Will Do was fifth in that same event and sneaks in at the bottom of the weights for this event. Stuzzikini landed the Troytown on his last outing for the Cullentra House, but a 9lbs rise for that success means he has a much stiffer task here and could struggle.
A faller in the Grand National at Aintree back in April, Glengouly was last seen finishing down the field at Limerick, but the Willie Mullins-trained raider should strip fitter for that event, while the Closutton team also saddle former Scottish Grand National winner Macdermott. Grandero Bello and Bushmans Pass are another brace of runners worthy of a mention for what should be a cracking contest.

VERDICT
NICK ROCKETT has been knocking on the door in these sort of races and the classy performer can finally land the victory in Thursday’s Thyestes. He is a really smart stayer and the 3m trip should play to his strengths. Favori De Champdou could prove to be the best of the Gordon Elliott team and can chase him home, while the stout stayer Yeah Man can stay on best of the rest to grab third spot.
2025 Thyestes Handicap Chase Predicted 1-2-3
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