Monbeg Notorious© Photo Healy Racing
Championship-chasing Gordon Elliott and 18 year old jockey Jack Kennedy gained first Thyestes Chase wins at Gowran today as Monbeg Notorious rewarded heavy market support to win the Goffs sponsored event.
This year's renewal attracted a smaller field of 15 but while it initially looked an open race on paper, the market spoke volumes for the chances of eventual winner Monbeg Notorious, who led home a 1-2 for owner Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud.
The seven year old gelding had won his beginners chase on just his previous start on December 31 and opened up a 10/1 chance when declarations were initially made yesterday. The son of Milan attracted sustained support today and having opened 11/2 on track, was returned the 7/2 clear favoruite.
In the race, Monbeg Notorious went clear of his rivals in the home straight and in the end beat the similarly owned but Noel Meade trained Wounded Warrior by 11 lengths.
The prestige of the race was not lost on Elliott, in his 13th season with a trainers' license, who later stated “it's brilliant and it's nice to win it. I think we've won nearly all the big staying chases in Ireland now.
“It was his first run in handicap, so it was a bit of a worry, but it's worked out great. He's a big galloper but he's a bit of a character at home and doesn't do anything too fancy. He just loves that soft ground and jumped and galloped them into the ground.
“The problem in his beginners chases is that he was having to do all his own donkey work and he's lairy in front whereas today we had something to aim at and it worked out great.
“He jumped fences like they were on fire at Punchestown the last day!”
He added “in fairness to the farmers (Doyles in Co Wexford) they recommended him to us and it's great for Jack, for me and for Gigginstown and for the horse.
“Jack was brilliant again and gave him a great ride.”
Regarding plans for Monbeg Notorious, he said “we'll get him home and see now but maybe something like the Irish National is what he'll run in. He's won a Thyestes Chase now and whatever happens now will be a bonus.
“To be honest I'm not sure if the ground is important but he probably would be more effective on soft ground.”
Paddy Power bookmaker later introduced Monbeg Notorious at 8/1 for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and, more tellingly, cut Elliott to 1/3 favourite (from 4/9) for the Irish Trainers' Championship.
Quotes from Gary Carson
