An eighth in Total for Mullins

TOTAL Recall gave Willie Mullins an eighth Goffs Thyestes Chase when leading home a 1-2 for the champion trainer in yesterday’s Gowran Park feature.

Dense fog denied racegoers a good view of the action, just as it did when the Mullins-trained Djakadam triumphed in 2012.

The bookies got a result as 16/1 shot Total Recall and Danny Mullins (nephew of Willie) – who grew up literally across the road from the track and was tasting Thyestes glory for the first time – led home 33/1 shot Class Conti (Mikey Fogarty), with Minella Fair third and local hope Ex Patriot fourth.

Total Recall, winner of the Munster National and Ladbrokes Trophy in late 2017, was scoring for the first time since winning a handicap hurdle at Leopardstown in February 2018.

“It’s great to see Total Recall win again – I didn’t think he’d win another big handicap after his Munster National and Ladbrokes Trophy wins,” said the winning trainer. “He stays and stays, but I didn’t think he had the gears to win a Thyestes. Danny said he missed the break, took his time and that he jumped his way into the race and came home well.”

Reflecting on the occasion, he added: “It’s a huge day down here. It’s our National and it’s great to win it again.

“I’m looking forward to next year already !”

Total Recall is owned by the Slaneyville Syndicate, whose colours were also carried by top-weight and sixth home Acapella Bourgeois, the mount of Paul Townend, whose chance was hindered by a number of mistakes.

Danny Mullins said: “It’s fantastic to win a Thyestes, on my local track. He was a bit slowly away, but warmed into it and jumped fantastic.”

Total recall was part of a sparkling treble for Willie Mullins and the Thyestes victory was arguably overshadowed by the supremely impressive seasonal debut win of Benie Des Dieux in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.

Billed as a head-to-head between Benie and Apple’s Jade, the race proved nothing of the sort as Apple’s Jade, having made the running, dropped away tamely at the third last and was pulled up.

Paul Townend oozed confidence on Benie all the way. And she eased clear to slam Penhill by 21 lengths in a 1-2-3 for Closutton (Killultagh Vic was third).

Townend described the winner as “a proper, proper mare, a real star”.

Willie Mullins added: “That’s has good a performance as we’ve seen from her. She’s as good, if not better than any mare I’ve trained.

“We might have too look at the Stayers Hurdle after that performance. It’ll depend on the weather as she must have a good cut. So we’ll decide closer to the time whether she’ll go for the Mares or the Stayers.”