Cheltenham Festival stable tour: Gordon Elliott
Gordon Elliott is a busy man with Cheltenham fast approaching.
We arrive at his Cullentra House Stables a day after the Irish press had enjoyed their own Cheltenham Festival briefing, and are sharing the trainer’s time with a crew from RTE, all under the watchful eye of Henrietta Knight who is on hand to see how the team is coming together.
The answer is well – too well in the case of Conflated who decides to spin his trainer round throughout our video interview. Standing still with ears pricked for the camera is not on his agenda. The Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup is.
“He’s in very good form,” the trainer said, before being forced to pirouette like a Principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet.
“He was running well in the Ryanair last season, and I think the step up in trip in what looks like a very competitive Gold Cup will suit.
“He runs well fresh. I think we ran in the wrong race last year, going for the Ryanair, I think the step up in trip for the Gold Cup will really help him. He’d have been second but for falling in the Ryanair and I think he’d have been second in the Gold Cup too given Galvin was beaten two-and-a-half lengths for that spot."
Sky Bet's Gordon Elliott specials
7/2 - Elliott to train 6+ winners at Cheltenham
5/1 - Gerri Colombe (BNC), Mighty Potter (TNC) Conflated (GC) all to place
5/1 - Gerri Colombe (NBC) and Delta Work (XC) both to win
9/1 - Elliott to train 7+ winners at Cheltenham
50/1 - Mighty Potter (TNC) and Delta Work (XC) both to win by 10+ lengths
Elliott knows what it takes to win a Gold Cup, so does Conflated tick all the boxes?
“I don’t know if he’s Don Cossack but we’ll keep dreaming,” he smiles as his star chaser finally consents to stand still – just as we hit the stop button.
Delta Work is returning to the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase as the defending champion. In 2022 he was the party-pooper, denying stablemate Tiger Roll a dream end to an unprecedented career.
But this year the hunter is the hunted – and it’s a near-neighbour who has him in his sights.
“I would have loved to have to seen Tiger Roll win but I just love winning so didn’t mind too much! Delta Work is a very good horse in his own right. He took to the fences very well and we’re looking forward to going back with him again," Elliott said.
“He’s not going to have it easy though and he has Galvin biting at his own toes but it will be a great race. He ran very well the last day at Cheltenham when he gave 16 pounds to the winner and 18 to the second. He’s come on a lot for that so we’re looking forward to running him. He’s in great form.
“Galvin has good Grade One form. He just wasn’t finishing his races off or jumping as well halfway through the season and we got a little job done on his back and he’s been really well and jumping well since.
“He’s been over to Cheltenham to have a look at the course and if the ground stays good I think he’s Delta Work’s biggest danger.”
A lot has changed for Teahupoo over the last 12 months and he’ll be racing over a mile further at Cheltenham this time around in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.
“His run in the Hatton’s Grace was very good and his winning one at Gowran Park last time equally as good. I think three miles really suits him and he seems in good form. He’s had a good preparation. We tricked ourselves into thinking he might be a Champion Hurdle horse last year, but he wasn’t quick enough. He was flat out the whole way,” the trainer recalls.
But the team will still be represented in the Champion and while he stops short of suggesting Zanahiyr is ready to lower the colours of Constitution Hill, the trainer feels he does have a shout of leading the chasing pack home.
“Zanahiyr wasn’t jumping great and we got his stifles treated and his work has been good since. He was only four lengths behind Honeysuckle at Leopardstown the last day which is the exact distance he was the year before,” he reasoned.
“Whether Honeysuckle is what she was I don’t know but I wouldn’t be writing her off yet and I think in the market without Constitution Hill he has a great chance.”
Elliott holds two aces in his hand for the novice chases. Mighty Potter and Gerri Colombe are both seriously talented and favourites for the Turners and Brown Advisory respectively.
“Mighty Potter hasn’t done much wrong so far and was very good at the Dublin Racing Festival. He always looked a chaser in the making and looks the part. I couldn’t be happier with him," the trainer grins.
“Gerri Colombe was very good in the Scilly Isles and the step up in three miles will suit him. He’s in good nick. He doesn’t do anything fancy at home, he’ll work the same with a good horse as he will a bad one. He has a good attitude and we’re looking forward to running him.
“We learned a lot at Sandown. He travelled over to England and handled that. He was very good bar a mistake at the second last or last down the back straight but I liked his attitude after he was passed round the home bend. He dropped his head and wanted it badly then when he got in front, he pulled up again. I don’t see why he won’t handle good ground, he won a novice hurdle at Thurles on yielding and I’m sure Cheltenham will have it good and safe."
As we begin the walk back from the gallops to the spot where RTE await the trainer, there’s chance for a whistle-stop tour through some of the others heading for the ferry on Sunday week.
“The Goffer went up a few pounds for winning at Leopardstown the other day where I thought Davy Russell gave him a masterful ride. He’ll go the Ultima with an each-way chance as he’ll like the track and has plenty of experience," Elliott says perusing a list of some of his entries.
“Imagine will hopefully go to the Martin Pipe, we’re looking forward to him. Fury Road goes in the Ryanair, we have four in the Pertemps and they all have their chance. Maxxum is one and he didn’t get much of a run last time but is in good form and won’t mind the drying ground.
“I’ll probably run five in the bumper and Jamie Codd has picked Better Days Ahead. He looks to have a great chance.
“Sire Du Berlais will go for the Stayers’ Hurdle and he puts his hand up every year and wins a big one. I thought he ran well in Navan the last day and he hit the line strong. He’s in good form and looks brilliant, but is unpredictable.
“American Mike has disappointed me and blew very hard after his race the last day at Navan. If he runs at Cheltenham I think we’ll go for the Ballymore. He’s better than he showed last time, I was under pressure and had nowhere else to run him and he needed another run.
“Minella Crooner goes for the National Hunt Chase or the Kim Muir, Fil D’Or is in the Coral Cup and County Hurdle. We’ll decide whether to go there or keep him for Aintree..."
And with that we reach RTE, shake hands and head for the exit door. I’ve seen Cheltenham Festival winners here – of that I’m sure. But which ones? Gordon Elliott selected in the cross-country looks a safe starting point.
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