Casey strikes in Thyestes

IRISH RACING/Gowran Park: Any disappointment David Casey felt about Sackville's lack-lustre third in the opener at Gowran was shelved for another day when This Is Serious landed the IAWS Thyestes Chase.

The Charlie Swan-trained lightweight ran out a two-length winner from the British raider, Birkdale, after The Bunny Boiler threw away his chance with a fall at the third last.

"Delighted," was Casey's reaction, which contrasted sharply with 90 minutes earlier and the "happyish" which the jockey produced to describe his reaction to Sackville's run in the three-mile hurdle.

Sackville finished up over 10 lengths behind the winner, Be My Belle, after jumping slowly and clouting a couple of the obstacles to boot.

It was enough for Ladbrokes to lengthen Sackville's Gold Cup odds out to 10 to 1, and trainer Frances Crowley was admirably straightforward in her own reaction to the performance.

"I have to say I'm disappointed with him. At the end of the day, getting a run into him was what we wanted but I would still have liked him to do better," she said.

"David did say he hated the ground and it is quite bad out there. His blood was wrong and he had a slightly dirty nose, but all in all, he didn't miss that much so we'll have to take it in our stride and keep going," Crowley added.

That probably means the Hennessy on February 10th, where another Casey regular, Foxchapel King, could also run. But the rider will go there with another big pot safely secure in what is turning into a memorable season.

Charlie Swan had no luck in the Thyestes as a rider but This Is Serious made up for it with a vengeance yesterday. "I was going to win it one year. High Peak was four lengths clear at the second last but fell," he remembered.

"Today we were 9lb out of the handicap but he is a tough old horse and he loves the soft. We entered him for the Aintree National last week," Swan added.

Ferdy Murphy was left to wonder what might have happened had Birkdale managed to get a run at a recently called off Wetherby fixture.

"We missed our prep race and that left him just a bit short. Still he has earned €17,000 which he wouldn't have got at home," Murphy said.

Beef Or Salmon made up for an expensive Christmas fall at Limerick with a five-length defeat of Boneyarrow in the conditions hurdle, and Political Animal took advantage of an injury to Tippthecat after the last in the handicap chase.

Liz Doyle was beaten a short head on Greywell in the bumper and afterwards was handed a four-day ban for using her whip with excessive frequency.

Paris Pike is set to return to action in the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow.

The Ferdy Murphy-trained 10-year-old was pulled up in the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown last month after damaging some muscles in his back. Norman Williamson will take the ride.