SINCE HE managed to win a Grand National before even having saddled a winner in Ireland, Gordon Elliott’s ability to make an impression has always been undoubted and he broke his Cheltenham Festival duck in style yesterday with two winners.
The former amateur jockey has used that triumph by Silver Birch at Aintree to mould a career that makes him one of the leading trainers in Ireland at just 33 years of age.
But the importance of a Cheltenham success was not lost on him prior to this week. His long-held belief that Chicago Grey would be his best chance of breaking his festival virginity came through in style in the four-mile National Hunt Chase.
But Chicago Grey’s name was joined on a memorable day by his stable companion Carlito Brigante who turned the Coral Cup into a solo-show. That 16 to 1 success completed doubles on the day for both Davy Russell and Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud operation, but it was Elliott who was odds-on last night on to enjoy the moment more.
“I only had my first winner at the festival a couple of hours ago, and now a second. It’s definitely going to be a rough night!” the trainer joked. “It’s the first time Carlito Brigante has got his ground. He had a wind operation and we thought he was well handicapped.”
Chicago Grey was ridden to success in the four-miler by the record-breaking point-to-point rider Derek O’Connor, who collected a two-day ban for his use of the whip. However, that couldn’t blight O’Connor’s delight at breaking his own festival duck.
“To carry the Irish flag into the winner’s enclosure on an Irish horse owned by friends of mine is the best feeling in the world,” he said.
Elliott came within a neck of a treble as Jessies Dream couldn’t withstand the challenge of Bostons Angel in the RSA Chase. Jessies Dream’s jockey, Timmy Murphy, got a six-day ban for his use of the whip in this race.
In contrast to Elliott it was 30 years since Arthur Moore hit the day two festival headlines with Drumgora’s Champion Chase victory in 1981. But the veteran trainer proved he still has the Cheltenham knack when preparing What A Charm to win her very first jumps race in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
It was a first, though, for jockey Paul Townend who forced the filly to a neck defeat of Kumbeshwar after the Irish favourite Plan A faded to fourth. What A Charm was a November Handicap winner on the flat for John Oxx and Moore took her over after that.
“She had to run as she was well handicapped and she has really turned in her coat in the last two weeks,” he said.
What A Charm was the sixth Irish winner in a row yesterday and it seemed almost inevitable that the traditional Irish benefit in the bumper would complete a clean sweep. But instead it was the British horses who dominated throughout with Cheltenian proving too strong for Destroyer Deployed under Richard Johnson.
