Thyestes Handicap Chase Preview

Gordon Elliott is never far away in this event having the winner of the race last term and 2018 and he has had another good go at the race with five runners.

We are siding with the £105,000 purchase Braeside for the Kim Muir winning connections KTDA Racing, with this son of Presenting looking a dangerous proposition in this race on a mark of 145.

The second season novice chaser finally got off the mark on seasonal debut at Cork over 3m4f showing that staying trips are his game and then last time out in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas he was a good fourth.

Only up 2lb in the handicap for this event he looks feasibly treated and having form of soft/heavy ground leaves him with a lot in his favour.

Big player at an each way price.

The second each way pick in the race comes at a slightly bigger price with the Willie Mullins trained Franco De Port looking to have a big chance dropping into handicap company.

Mullins has a superb record in this race winning four of the last eight events and he looks to have a huge shout with this seven year old.

This gelding was an average hurdler but when sent chasing last season turned into a much better animal, winning his first few starts at Thurles and then Leopardstown in the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase.

Looking to back that up at the Dublin Racing Festival he was a 10 length second to Energumene in the Irish Arkle, but in his worst effort of the season at the Cheltenham Festival when last in the Arkle.

Seen once more last season he fell when well beaten in the Grade One Champion Novice Chase behind the likes of Colreevy, Monkfish and Envoi Allen.

Back for another season, Mullins has tries to keep him down the top level route, this time up in trip but on two occasions he has been outclassed in the John Durkan Memorial Chase and Savills Chase.

Obviously a smart horse, but now not able to cut it at the top level, dropping him down to handicap company off a mark of 153 makes him a dangerous player.

Mullins has a few in the race and number one rider Paul Townend has decided to ride this gelding which is a good sign.

Big each way player if getting back to his best form.