Now Is The Hour wins Goffs Thyestes in frantic photo finish

Now Is The Hour produces a late surge to claim the €100,000 Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park, prevailing by a head over Better Times Ahead in a frantic photo finish. The 8/1 shot’s victory completes a treble for trainer Gavin Cromwell on the card, following earlier wins for Champagne Jury and The Lovely Man.

Eoin Staples piloted Now Is The Hour through testing heavy ground to overhaul his rival in the closing strides, while Shecouldbeanything finished third, 19 lengths adrift. Answer To Kayf took fourth and Conyers Hill came home fifth. The feature was run on heavy going and the day saw several notable fallers, underscoring how the surface shaped the contest and split the field.

Now Is The Hour’s late acceleration is the headline performance. Coming off mid-range market support at 8/1, the horse demonstrated both stamina and a powerful turn of foot to win by a head, suggesting stamina over extended distances and an ability to handle very soft conditions. That combination is valuable in the staying chase division, where attrition and ground-suitability decide races as much as raw speed. Staples called the opportunity "brilliant," reflecting the jockey’s satisfaction with the ride and the race situation.

Cromwell’s treble is significant for the stable’s campaign and signals depth across his string. Success with Champagne Jury and The Lovely Man earlier on the card shows Cromwell can produce winners under a variety of conditions and distances, boosting owner confidence and raising the profile of his yard in the national hunt season. Cromwell says he will consider returning Now Is The Hour to the National Hunt Chase program, a pathway that would test the horse over marathon trips and against festival-class opposition.

Beyond the result, the Gowran card highlights broader industry dynamics. Heavy ground is reshaping early-season programming as trainers and owners balance the risk of testing surfaces against the prize money on offer. A €100,000 feature on heavy going attracts tougher questions about welfare and tactical approaches; the presence of several fallers today will prompt connections to reassess entry choices and training rhythms as the spring festivals approach.

For punters and followers of the staying chase scene, Now Is The Hour’s photo-finish win elevates the horse into conversations about big-field marathon chases. For Cromwell and Staples, it cements momentum and invites strategic planning toward longer-term targets. The immediate takeaway is clear: Now Is The Hour has the constitution and finishing power to be a live contender wherever stamina and heavy ground meet, and racing fans will watch closely to see whether the National Hunt Chase beckons next.