Gowran Park Horse Racing Tips: Best Bets On Thyestes Day

January 21, 2026

See here our best bets for Thursday’s action at Gowran Park headlined by the Grade 3 Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase.

Following 16mm of rain on Tuesday, the ground at the Kilkenny venue is heavy with the possibility of around 4mm before racing begins.

The track passed an inspection on Wednesday afternoon and racing is set to go ahead in frankly desperate conditions.

Gowran Park Horse Racing Tips

12:40 – Champagne Jury @ 2/1
2:55 – Soldier In Milan @ 11/1 E/W

12:40 – Connolly’s Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle – CHAMPAGNE JURY @ 2/1

Gavin Cromwell is still searching for his first jumps winner in nearly 50 days but a few of his runners have posted solid efforts in defeat recently and a chance is taken on CHAMPAGNE JURY to buck the trend.

The seven-year-old made his return to the track at Down Royal on St. Stephen’s Day, dusting off the cobwebs to finish third after travelling strongly and with improvement on the cards he has every right to go close in this contest.

The son of Jukebox Jury was a heavy ground bumper winner at Naas last January before finishing runner-up to Gordon Elliott’s subsequent Grade 1 scorer Honesty Policy at Leopardstown.

It would be no surprise to see him reverse the form with Elliott’s Dunleer Crystal having a run under his belt and Keith Donoghue’s mount should relish the conditions.

There are obvious risks attached with the yard at present but Champagne Jury showed enough zest in his comeback run that I’m willing to pay to find out here.

2:55 – Daly Farrell Accountants Beginners Chase – SOLDIER IN MILAN @ 11/1 E/W

Something didn’t go quite right for SOLDIER IN MILAN at Leopardstown over Christmas, pulled up when clinically abnormal on reappearance but he is entitled to leave that effort behind him today.

Emmet Mullins’ seven-year-old was one of the most promising bumper winners of the season last year, winning a valuable race at Punchestown to close proceedings in a race that has thrown up plenty of smart talent so far.

It was certainly notable that shrewd owner Paul Byrne opted to send the gelding by Soldier Of Fortune straight over fences rather than, in his mind, waste a season over hurdles and that must be a big vote of confidence in the horse’s ability.

He was a runaway winner on heavy ground in his point-to-point, chasing is understood to be his game and with a forgiving heart he is taken to make his presence felt.

Soldier In Milan gets a confident each-way vote but as usual when dealing with this outfit a market check is advised.

Soldier In Milan wins the final race of the day, the Overlander bumper @punchestownrace under John Gleeson 🤩

A treble on the card for Emmet Mullins! 👏 pic.twitter.com/u4b42mLplc

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 2, 2025