Thetys arrives on the scene on the run-in© Photo Healy Racing
Thetys picked up strongly for Peter Carberry to land the opening handicap hurdle in Naas.
JJ Slevin and Libby attempted to burn the field off three out, but they were collared after two out as a host of horses held chances.
Over the final flight, it looked like it was going to boil down to Crafty Gael and the favourite Pont Audemer who tussled at the front, however, Thetys was delivered down the outer and swamped them inside the final 100 yards.
Crafty Gael attempted to fight back, but Thetys won going away by a length and a half at 11/2 from the 8/1 runner-up. Pont Audemer (16/5f) had no answers in third in the closing stages. He went up 16lb for winning in Limerick at the end of last month. By Your Side blundered his chance away with a mistake at the last and finished a head out of the places in fourth.
This was Thetys' breakthrough victory on her sixth start.
“It's nice when it works. She had a great run in Navan (fifth) and then at Christmas the first run in a handicap (fourth in Limerick) probably caught her out,” said Tony Martin.
“She learned her lesson at Christmas and did it well today.
“She has a bit of size to her, hopefully she'll stay in the one piece and we'll take it from there. She'll mix it as well, she's run a couple of times on the Flat.
“The boys gave handy money for her this time last year, she was €10,000 in France. She's a well-bred Camelot filly so fingers crossed we're alright.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
