Tipperary jockey Rachael Blackmore winning the Goffs Thyestes Chase is the highlight of the week!

Rachael Blackmore landed her first success in the Goffs Thyestes Chase as Ain’t That A Shame found plenty from the final fence to win for trainer Henry de Bromhead and owners Robcour at Gowran Park on Thursday last. The trainer’s late father Harry won the racecourse’s feature event with the Jason Titley-ridden Grand Habit in 1992 and the big prize went the way of de Bromhead himself for the first time in 2017 when Champagne West, ridden by David Mullins, scored an easy win.

This time it was Blackmore’s turn for an initial victory and she had a more than willing partner as the 14/1 chance powered home to beat the Willie Mullins-trained Glengouly, a 7/1 shot ridden by Paul Townend, by two and a half lengths. The Knockeen trainer had made a winning start to the day when Champagne Mahler landed the two-mile handicap hurdle.

Also a 14/1 chance, but ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, the six-year-old looked to have plenty in hand as he got the better of the Con O’Keeffe-trained Kilbarry Saint by six and a half lengths. It was the first winner that de Bromhead has trained for the English-based BM Partnership. It was also a red-letter day for 20-year-old Nenagh conditional jockey Luke Donnelly as he rode his first career winner on the Enda Bolger-trained Champagne Platinum in the two-mile opportunity handicap hurdle.

A son of former jockeys Joey Donnelly and Lulu Olivefalk, he almost threw it away as he misjudged the winning post and briefly stopped riding 50 yards short of the line. But he got the JP McManus-owned 11/1 chance going again and he held on to win by a head from the Philip Rothwell-trained 2/1 favourite Billy Lee Swagger.

Trainer Denis Hogan saddled two winners at Dundalk on Friday evening and for good measure was also responsible for the runners-up in both races. He took the 10-furlong claiming race with the Joey Sheridan-ridden five-year-old Sky Legend which certainly benefited from a drop in class to win his first race. Always up with the pace he asserted inside the final furlong and went clear to beat his own stable companion Darkened by an easy three lengths. Both horses were claimed to be trained by Noel Kelly. Hugh Horgan completed the trainer’s double when partnering 8/1 chance Miqdaad to land the seven-furlong apprentice handicap. Owned by Michael O'Brien, the 8/1 chance just did enough to win by a head from Expound, the 5/4 favourite, to give the trainer his second 1-2 of the meeting.

At Fairyhouse on Saturday, Philip Fenton and Gortnahoe jockey Niall Noore combined to win the opportunity handicap hurdle with Jeriko De Baune. In the colours of the Crohane Town & Country Syndicate, the 10/1 chance came through to lead after the final fence to win by two and a half lengths from the Philip Rothwell-trained Duffys Getaway.

Aidan O'Brien struck with his first runner of 2024 as the Ryan Moore-ridden Warm Heart won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Saturday. The first filly to win the race, she set a course record under Ryan Moore in beating I’m Very Busy to notch up her third top-level success on her final racecourse start. She has been retired to stud.

Upcoming Fixtures

Limerick – Tuesday, January 30 (First Race 12.50pm)

Dundalk – Wednesday, January 31 (First Race 1.30pm)

Dundalk – Friday, February 2 (First Race 4.25pm)

Leopardstown – Saturday, February 3 (First Race 1.20pm)

Leopardstown – Sunday, February 4 (First Race 12.40pm)