GORDON Elliott will bring 36 horses to Cheltenham next week and there can be little doubt that his team is every bit as strong as it was for last year’s festival, which saw him collect the leading trainer award after he saddled six winners.
I dropped out to his yard last Tuesday and all the Cheltenham horses were scoped and looked in great shape, after routine exercise.
Samcro looks the Irish banker of the week, but Elliott appears to have real strength in depth and he could be double and triple-handed in some races.
A huge amount of planning goes in to next week and all the racing gear, feed and water will travel over first. The first of the horses will be loaded up and head over by ferry on Saturday.
Mary Nugent and Camilla Sharples look after the travelling side of things and with Elliott on duty at Cheltenham, Ian ‘Busty’ Almond and Simon McGonagle will look after things at home, while Zoe Winston and Alex Hutter keep the office running.
The team heading for Cheltenham today inclde Jack Madden, Louise Magee, Katie Young, Lisa O’Neill, Georgie Benson, Davy Condon and Shane McCann Barney Flood, Seainin Mahon, Catriona Bolger and Eleri Apps.
APPLE’S JADE
6yo b m (1211-111)
Saddler Maker - Apple’s For Ever
Lisa O’Neill rides her out at home and she is very happy with her. We’ve been delighted with her all season and the fact that she has been to Cheltenham and done it is a big help. You’d like to think that if he she ran to a similar level that saw her win last year that might be good enough. Ground doesn’t appear to be an issue and Jack gets on really well with her. Willie has a strong hand in the race again and it looks a very good renewal, but we are happy with our mare.
BARRA
7yo b m (366-2342)
Vendangeur - Oasaka
She goes for the Coral Cup. She is in great shape and I think she has a good each way chance. We’ll look to drop her in to try and get her a bit of cover and hopefully she’ll come home well. She ran well at the Festival last season and her run at Leopardstown was good.
BEN DUNDEE
6yo ch g (245-1620)
Beneficial - Miss Dundee
He is in the Coral Cup and the County Hurdle and we’ll just have to wait and see if he’ll make the cut for either. We’ll know a bit more at the weekend and I’d say he’ll travel over and we’ll hope that he gets in to one of the races. I don’t think the trip will be an issue for him nor the ground.
BLESS THE WINGS
13yo b g (8226-PP1)
Winged Love - Silva Venture
He has been some horse for us and I was delighted for his owners that he won around Cheltenham in December. I know he is 13 now, but he doesn’t behave like a 13-year-old. He is in very good form and he’ll take his chance in the Cross Country race.
BLOW BY BLOW
7yo ch g (1-32161)
Robin Des Champs - Shean Rose
It was good to see him win a Grade 3 at Clonmel the last day and he seems to be getting his act together. He’ll go for the Martin Pipe. I suppose in general he has been a bit disappointing as he looked a very good bumper horse, but the fast pace over there will suit him and he is going the right away again now.
BRELADE
6yo b g (68-22243)
Presenting - Polivalente
I am hoping that the better ground, if it comes that way, will be a help to him. He has been running well enough in good races this season. Though he he has yet to win over fences, he did run well in the Neptune last year and a repeat sort of performance would give him a squeak.
CAUSE OF CAUSES
10yo b g (5P0512-0)
Dynaformer - Angel In My Heart
He has been some horse for us and he appears to be in great form. The Cross Country race has always been his target and he loves this time of year. He has been there and done it and I couldn’t be happier with him.
COCKTAILS AT DAWN
10yo b g (P4FPF6-9)
Fair Mix - Fond Farewell
He will also take his chance in the Cross Country Chase and hopefully he’ll run a respectable race. He was a good horse when trained by Nicky Henderson and he just lost his way a bit last year, but he has schooled well over the banks and hopefully he can get back into good form.
DE PLOTTING SHED
8yo b g (24-2522)
Beneficial - Lady Wilmurt
He has been well tipped-up for the Close Brother Novice Chase and I suppose he could have a nice mark, but he has been a bit disappointing over fences. The novice chase division over here is very strong and like Brelade this will be his first run in a handicap chase. He’ll appreciate better ground and he’ll go there with his chance.
DIAMOND KING
10yo b g (4154PP-53)
King’s Theatre - Georgia On My Mind
He has been a bit disappointing over fences, but he has been in great form at home and he’ll go back for the Coral Cup. He won that race two years ago and he’ll go back there a bit under the radar. The more the ground dries up the better and he is certainly in with a shout.
DELTA WORK
5yo br g (2133243)
Network - Robbe
He’ll go for the Pertemps. He has run well since in some good races this season and he does stay well. Ground isn’t an issue for him.
DORTMUND PARK
5yo b g (1-16114)
Great Pretender - Qena
He’ll run in the Albert Bartlett. He has had his wind tidied up since his last run and he could run well at a decent price. I think he’ll appreciate the better ground as he just didn’t get home the last day at Leopardstown. He’ll wear a tongue tie for the first time as well.
DOUNIKOS
7yo b g (1249-114)
Smadoun - Baby Sitter
He had the option of the four-miler, but he’ll take his chance in the RSA. The softer the ground the better he’ll run. He jumps and he travels and he is a real nice horse. I’m looking forward to running him. He might be a horse that could run well at a big price.
DUCA DE THAIX
5yo b g (4211-416)
Voix Du Nord
I’d say he’ll be our only runner in the County Hurdle. He was a bit disappointing the last day at Naas but he won a Grade 3 at Limerick at Christmas time and could run well if returning to that sort of form.
FARCLAS
4yo gr g (22)
Jukebox Jury - Floriana
He has improved on each of his two runs over hurdles and he’ll take his chance in what looks a very good renewal of the Triumph. There isn’t a great deal between a good few of the Irish horses, but the English horses have look well above average. I don’t think better ground will be a problem for him and if he got a bit of luck in running, he’d have a good each way chance. He’ll wear a tongue tie for the first time next week.
FELIX DESJY
5yo ch g (1-11)
Maresca Sorrento - Lamadoun
He’ll go for the Champion Bumper and Davy Russell will ride him. He has done nothing wrong winning two bumpers for us last year and he’ll go there a fresh horse. He is not without a chance and he has been working well.
FLAWLESS ESCAPE
5yo gr g (2-1213)
Sagamix - Sainte Kadette
He is probably the best of the three that we’ll run in the Martin Pipe. He has improved with every run and I thought he ran a real good race behind the well-handicapped Total Recall in what looked a very competitive handicap at Leopardstown. You’d like to think that sort of experience in a big field handicap will stand to him and I think he goes there with a very good chance.
FLAXEN FLARE
9yo ch g (3U-2320P)
Windsor Knot - Golden Angel
He just doesn’t have the heart for jumping fences and he’ll go back over hurdles in the Martin Pipe. He has been in very good form at home and he could be a lively outsider in that.
GLENLOE
7yo br g (/6515-223)
Kayf Tara - Mandys Native
He has been in good form and will run in the Pertemps. He has to improve, but I’ve been happy with him.
JURY DUTY
7yo b g (36-12122)
Well Chosen - Swan Heart
He was third in the Pertemps Final last year and he has done very well over fences this season, winning a Grade 2 and finishing second in a Grade 1. He is owned by good friends of mine and it would be great for the lads if he managed to run well. He is in very good form and I think he’ll appreciate the four-mile trip. The better the ground the better he’ll run and Jamie Codd rides him.
MENGLI KHAN
5yo b g (24-111O2)
Lope De Vega - Danielli
He’ll be our only runner in the Supreme. He has won a Grade 1 for us this season so he has done his job already and he is a huge horse that will appreciate better ground that he’ll hopefully get at Cheltenham.
I know they were saying earlier in the week that it was soft, but it dries out very quickly over there and he is a very good mover. Getabird could be hard to beat, but my horse goes there in good form and I think he has a solid each way chance.
MICK JAZZ
7yo b g (231-3513)
Blue Bresil - Mick Maya
He has developed into a very good horse for us, winning the Grade 1 at Christmas time and then running well again the last day in the Irish Champion Hurdle. He needs to improve again to figure in what looks a very good race, but the strong pace that he’s likely to get over there will help him and I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to reach the frame at a big price.
MITCHOUKA
4yo b g (2112311)
Creachadoir - Minnaloushe
He is in very good form and he’ll take his chance in the Fred Winter. I am looking forward to running him and the one concern that I have is whether he’ll get up the hill. I’d say he’ll be ridden to get the trip. He has done nothing wrong all season and while he has plenty of weight he has a very good chance if he gets home.
MOSSBACK
6yo b g (31P-14F2)
Yeats - Sejour
He ran well the last day at Navan and Lisa O’Neill will ride him in the four-miler (National Hunt Chase). He has done nothing wrong all season and he should appreciate some better ground as well. Overall he has solid form and he’ll be a good ride in the race. Whether he’ll be good enough only time will tell, but he’ll go there with a good each-way chance.
OUTLANDER
10yo b g (0P-61332)
Stowaway - Western Whisper
He was in the Ryanair, but he’ll go for the Gold Cup and we’ll put a pair of blinkers on him. He has been a great horse for us and he rarely runs a bad race. He looks up against it, but he will be dropped in and we’ll try and creep him into the race, and it would be great if he could nick a bit of prize money. Anything better would be a bonus.
SAMCRO
6yo ch g (1/111-111)
Germany - Dun Dun
He looks great and all is good with him. He has done nothing wrong all season and he was very good the last day at Leopardstown.
He had the option of the Supreme and I suppose the way he won the last day over two, he would have gone there with a real chance, but we’ve decided that he’ll go for the Ballymore. Jack gets on very well with him and Shane McCann, who rides him in all his work, has been very happy with him.
SHATTERED LOVE
7yo b m (07-11211)
Yeats - Tracker
She has done well for us this season, winning a Grade 1 at Leopardstown, and although she does stay well she is not slow and we’ll let her take her chance in the JLT. She jumps and she stays well, and she gets the mare’s allowance. We’ll see what way the race breaks up next week, but that is the plan for her.
SIRE DU BERLAIS
6yo b g (3130-2)
Poliglote - Royale Athenia
He ran a nice race the last day at Fairyhouse and he has been in good form since. He’ll go for the Martin Pipe.
SQUOUATEUR
7yo gr g (8P2U-630)
Martaline - Samansonnienne
He was traveling well when he came at the third last in the Kim Muir last year and he’ll go back and have another crack at that race again. He needs a bit of luck on his side and he has the ability to be involved if things go right for him on the day.
TIGER ROLL
8yo b g (331P-2P5)
Authorized - Swiss Roll
He is another horse that seems to save his best form for Cheltenham and he goes back there for the Cross Country. We took him over there a few weeks ago to school over the cross country fences and he took to it well.
He is in some order and he seems to appreciate that nice spring ground. He owes us nothing at this stage and hopefully he’ll get into a good rhythm and give a good account of himself.
THE GAME CHANGER
9yo b g (0211P447)
Arcadio - Gilt Ridden
He is what he is, but he will love the fast pace that he’s likely to get in the Grand Annual and he’ll take his chance in that. He jumps and he travels and while there will be better handicapped horses in that race, I think he’ll run well.
THE STORYTELLER
7yo ch g (211-2137)
Shantou - Bally Bolshoi
He is horse that I’ve always liked and he’ll go for the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Plate.
Barring a mistake three out, he would have gotten a bit closer to Invitation Only at Punchestown and he ran a respectable race in a Grade 1 the last day. He might be on a nice mark and I’m looking forward to running him.
TYCOON PRINCE
8yo b g (2P/45-21F)
Trans Island - Downtown Train
He’ll also go for the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase. He was running well until he came down the last day behind Footpad. I think the step back up in trip will suit him and he has been working nicely at home. I am not sure yet who will ride what in that race just yet.
VENEER OF CHARM
4yo b g (127)
Fast Company - Nova Tor
He won first time out over hurdles and he has plenty of flat racing done. He goes for the Fred Winter and he will get in there with a nice weight on his back. It would be great if he could sneak a bit of prize money.