Longhouse Poet and Darragh O'Keeffe (left) jump the last to win from Franco De Port (right)© Photo Healy Racing
Ante-post gamble Longhouse Poet stuck his neck out in the closing stages to grab glory in the Goffs Thyestes at Gowran Park today after a cracking finish to the prestigious staying handicap chase.
The Martin Brassil-trained gelding had been backed from 25/1 into as short as 5/1 in the last week for the three-mile-one showpiece and eventually went to post a 9/1 shot this afternoon.
He travelled sweetly throughout for Darragh O'Keeffe and launched his challenge turning for home.
There were four in a line jumping the third last fence and it boiled down to a duel over the last between Franco De Port and Longhouse Poet.
Brassil's charge just found a bit more on the run-in as the Yeats gelding secured a hard fought three-parts-of-a-length success. Mister Fogpatches who had also been upsides three from home, was four-and-a-half lengths back in third.
Longhouse Poet, Grade 1 placed as a novice hurdler, was having just his second outing in handicap company over fences.
Brassil had won the race back in 2005 with Numbersixvalverde who went on to win the Irish National a couple of months later and the Grand National at Aintree the following year.
He said afterwards:- “He got a good start and Darragh said he never missed a beat. He was always able to take him back and give him a breather.
“I would have said he was more effective on heavy ground but he seemed to handle that. I know it's soft but there's a bit more life in it today. He just really enjoyed it.
“He came alive when he came into the ring, he was really fresh and bright in himself. When horses are healthy and well, they don’t take a lot of training.
“The last time I had a runner in the race was when Numbersixvalverde won it (in 2005). They’re great races to win, these historic races, won by some great horses going back the years.
“It’s only his second run in a handicap but he came from a good school. Derek O’Connor schooled him in his point to point, so I didn’t have to do too much schooling.
“There’s an entry closing on Monday for Aintree, and we’ll think of the Irish National as well. They’re the type of races we’ll be looking at.”
O'Keeffe told RTE:- “I'm delighted, it's nice to win a big pot like that. I'm delighted to win it for Sean and Bernardine Mulryan as well, it's great.
“Martin's horses are in great form and we were hopeful of a big run for this lad. We were hoping the ground would be as bad as it possibly could be because he seems to love those conditions.
“In fairness Martin didn't tie me down (with tactics), I said to him I was going to line up wide because with this lad if he got a bit crowded down to the first, and missed it, you are in no man's land then.
“I had loads of room going down to the first and he winged it and I was able to slot in then. He travelled and jumped every step of the way.
“He's a lazy old lad, I knew going down to the fourth last there was no stride there and he came up in my hands. I said 'I'm full of horse here now' because he landed running at the back of it.
“I was biding my time then for as long as I could. Even over the last two he didn't let me down at any of them.
“To see the big crowd here, and everyone, these are the days you want to be riding winners so it's brilliant.”
Paddy Power gave the winner a 33/1 quote for the Grand National.
Manager Eddie Scally reflected on a very successful day for the racecourse saying:- “The crowd was just over 8,500. There was a great buzz around the place and a fantastic atmosphere.
“People just need it so much and it’s a bit of a perfect storm with the weather being so good as well.”
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
