Siege masters top weight in Thyestes

THIRD in the race last year, Siegemaster defied top-weight in the Connolly’s Red Mills Thyestes Chase yesterday, giving trainer Dessie Hughes, jockey Davy Russell and owner Michael O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud their first win in the traditional Gowran Park feature.

Wearing blinkers for only the second time. the 16/1 shot came from off the pace, edged ahead nearing the final fence and stayed on stoutly to hold the late effort of seasonal debutant The Midnight Club by three-quarters of a length, with the runner-up’s stable-companion Ballytrim, third and well-backed favourite and longtime leader Alpha Ridge fourth.

The success proved sweet for trainer Hughes, who partnered Davy Lad to finish third in the race back in 1997, less than two months before landing the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and proved the resilience of Davy Russell, bruised and badly shaken in a fall at Thurles on Thursday and in the wars again when taking a fall from Rocky Wednesday in yesterday’s opener.