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Coko Beach bags a first win over fences in Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park

Updated / Thursday, 28 Jan 2021 16:42
Coko Beach and Jack Kennedy jump the last
Coko Beach and Jack Kennedy jump the last

Coko Beach led home a one-two for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud in the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park, with the winner scoring a first success over fences at the fifth attempt. 

Elliott and Gigginstown had previously teamed up to win the prestigious handicap with Monbeg Notorious in 2018 and were well represented once more, with Coko Beach one of four runners for the combination, while Gigginstown had seven representatives overall.

Fitted with blinkers for the first time, Coko Beach travelled strongly throughout the three-mile-one-furlong contest in the hands of Jack Kennedy and hit the front early in the home straight.

From that point the 8-1 shot never looked in serious danger of being caught and safely negotiated the remaining obstacles to seal a four-length verdict, with stable companion Run Wild Fred best of the rest in second.

Elliott's great rival Willie Mullins saddled the third, fourth and fifth in Class Conti, Saturnas and Acapella Bourgeois respectively.

Kennedy, winning the race for a second time after steering Monbeg Notorious home in front three years ago, said of Coko Beach: "He's been struggling to win a beginners’ chase.

"Gordon asked me the other morning what I’d like to ride in it and I was thinking Farclas, but he didn’t show up here. Gordon fancied this lad and I went with what he said and thank God he was right.

"I got left at the start, but he winged the first and was able to travel well enough to get me into a position. I was handy the whole way and on that ground you are not going to get too many coming from behind.

"The blinkers sharpened him up an awful lot and he travelled a lot better than he has been.

"It’s a big race and one of the biggest handicaps of the year, so it’s great to win it."

Sams Profile (8-1) successfully reverted to the smaller obstacles with a hard-fought victory in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park.

The Mouse Morris-trained seven-year-old was narrowly beaten in a Grade One novice hurdle at the Punchestown Festival two years ago, but was not seen again until falling on his chasing bow at Thurles in November.

He ran with plenty of credit when third behind behind the exciting Monkfish at Fairyhouse nine days later, but feeling it was getting too late in the season to continue over fences, Morris decided to switch his charge back to hurdles for this Grade Two contest.

Given a patient ride by Phillip Enright, Sams Profile began to make significant inroads on the leaders from the home turn and held a narrow lead approaching the final flight.

A messy leap did him no favours, but he dug deep in a slow motion finish to hold off the rallying Diol Ker by half a length.

Morris, who won the Galmoy Hurdle with his former Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition in 2010, said of Sams Profile: "He hasn’t been easy and fractured ribs at Thurles from the horrible fall he got and he ran with it afterwards.

"He bled when he got home after his Fairyhouse run and it was the vets who found it. He bruised his lungs and we gave him box rest.

"He is as tough as old boots and it was just one of those things in Thurles, but it got too late in the year (to continue novice chasing).

"He had a couple of good runs, but isn’t the luckiest horse in the world. The Stayers’ Hurdle will be pencilled in now."

The trainer was keen to praise Enright, adding: "Being quite frank with you, I thought maybe he was a bit far back at the top of the hill, but you have to take it off to him – he is a cool dude.

"He was dead right and I was wrong."

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