The John Meagher Memorial Chase is a Listed National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Thurles over a distance of about 2 miles and 6 furlongs (4,426 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
The event was formerly a handicap, first run in 1996, and was called the Thurles Handicap Chase. It became a conditions race in 2004, and it was given Listed status in 2009 at which point the race was renamed the Thurles Chase.
It was renamed in 2011 in memory of John Meagher, a great supporter of Thurles, who had one of his biggest days there when Monanore, which he also bred, landed the prestigious Molony Cup when trained by his great friend Billy Harney. A keen amateur rider in his younger days, Meagher was nicknamed ‘Bougoure’ after the legendary Australian jockey Garnet Bougoure, who was attached to the Vincent O'Brien and Paddy Prendergast yards in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Since 2015 it has been sponsored by the Boomerang Horse & Country Store.
Records Most successful jockey (4 wins): Ruby Walsh - See Just There (1998), Mossy Green (2005), Noble Prince (2013), Champagne Fever (2016) Davy Russell- Public Reaction (2006), War of Attrition (2008), Roi du Mee (2012), Alpha des Obeaux (2018)
Most successful trainer (8 wins): Willie Mullins– See Just There (1998), Mossy Green (2005), Sir Des Champs (2015), Champagne Fever (2016), Bachasson (2017), Footpad (2019), Cilaos Emery (2021), Classic Getaway (2023)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1996 Brook Hill Lady 7 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien 1997 Interim Account 11 S H O'Donovan Joseph G Murphy 1998 See Just There 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 1999 West Trix VI 8 Patrick Verling Gerard Cully 2000 Torduff Boy 7 Kieran Gaule Paul Nolan 2001 Brownie Returns 8 Ken Whelan Mouse Morris 2002 Spice Patrol 6 Shay Barry Henry de Bromhead 2003 Ride The Storm 6 Barry Geraghty Edward O'Grady 2004 Oh Be the Hokey 6 David Casey Charlie Swan 2005 Mossy Green 11 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2006 Public Reaction 8 Davy Russell Edward Hales 2007 Forget the Past 9 Andrew Lynch Michael O'Brien 2008 War of Attrition 9 Davy Russell Mouse Morris 2009 In Compliance 9 Paddy Flood Dessie Hughes 2010 Glencove Marina 8 Barry Geraghty Eoin Griffin 2011 Joncol 8 Barry Geraghty Paul Nolan 2012 Roi du Mee 7 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2013 Noble Prince 9 Ruby Walsh Paul Nolan 2014 Home Farm 7 David Casey Henry de Bromhead 2015 Sir Des Champs 9 Bryan Cooper Willie Mullins 2016 Champagne Fever 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2017 Bachasson 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2018 Alpha des Obeaux 8 Davy Russell Gordon Elliott 2019 Footpad 7 Daryl Jacob Willie Mullins 2020 Presenting Percy 9 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2021 Cilaos Emery 9 Brian Hayes Willie Mullins 2022 Darasso 9 Mark Walsh Joseph O'Brien 2023 Classic Getaway 7 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins 2024 Fil Dor 6 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2025 Affordale Fury 7 Donagh Meyler Noel Meade
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , independent.ie – "Compliance back in the groove" (2009)