Diablo Looks A Devilishly Good Each Way Bet In The Thyestes

The Thyestes Chase is the biggest race of the season at Gowran Park Racecourse. This 25f handicap chase has been won by some seriously good horses over the years. Hedgehunter, Djakadam and the great Arkle are on that exclusive list, and Mr Diablo could join the club on Thursday.

Mr Diablo looks a likely sort in the Thyestes.

I tipped up this fella for the Troytown Chase at Navan on the TXODDS blog a couple of months back and he ran a huge race. He belied his odds of 50/1 to finish a clear 2nd behind Tout Est Permis off a mark of 133. That horse franked the form at the weekend, winning a Grade 2 chase at Naas.

Mr Diablo ran well enough on his next start, again at Navan, but over 4f shorter. He just doesn’t have the toe for 20f now and he could only manage 5th that day. The step back up in trip here looks sure to suit, as will the underfoot conditions. 

The ground is currently yielding at Gowran and that won’t bother Mr Diablo. He has won on all sorts of ground, including yielding, but the better the ground is the bigger his chance will be. It was good ground in the Troytown and he has won twice on that sort of surface.

He is only 4lb higher than when beaten 4.5L by Tout Est Permis, who was running off 138. He is now rated in the mid 150s so it shows how unlucky Philip Dempsey’s charge was to bump into such a well handicapped horse. Magic Of Light was 6.5L behind Mr Diablo that day (off 136), and she is now rated 150 after wins at Listed and Grade 2 level in the past month.

Mr Diablo last won at Leopardstown off 133 and he is racing off 137 in this.  On the strength of his Troytown run he definitely looks well handicapped. The 10yo son of Presenting is lightly raced for his age and I think that there could be a bit more improvement in him at 3 miles plus over fences. 

This is usually a race that suits prominent racers, My Murphy and Champagne West being two recent winning examples. Mr Diablo looks way overpriced given his racing style and recent form. Once the ground isn't bottomless he is well worth chancing each way for the Thyestes Chase at odds of 20/1.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 3.00 GOWRAN PARK - MR DIABLO E/W @ 20/1