MARTIN PIPE

CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’

HANDICAP HURDLE

GORDON Elliott sealed the leading trainer title for the week when Champagne Classic ran out a clear winner of the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle under J.J. Slevin.

Both Elliott and Mullins ended the meeting with six winners apiece, but Elliott was awarded the trophy as he had more placed horses.

Elliott described his final success of the Festival as “special” as he learned his trade with Martin Pipe and remains close to the former champion trainer and his family.

“I said this morning that if we didn’t win the Gold Cup then this is the race I wanted to win.”

Having raced exclusively on soft ground this season, Champagne Classic (12/1) was arguably unexposed in this, his first handicap, and he was always travelling well on the good ground. Slevin made ground steadily and challenged for the lead at the second last flight.

He and Verny battled it out from the final hurdle with Champagne Classic, a point-to-point winner, staying on strongly to win by two and a quarter lengths. Stable companion Runfordave ran on for third, just over a length behind Verny, and the front-running Coo Star Sivola was fourth.

Michael O’Leary, welcoming back his fourth winner of the week, joked that Champagne Classic was one of the worst he owned, yet he was able to defy a mark of 138 with relative ease here.

Slevin, son of Wexford trainer Shay, is based with Joseph O’Brien and revealed that he had only secured the mount a day before. “Then another ride became available but Gordon wouldn’t let me off and I’m lucky he didn’t! The horse travelled well, jumped well and we were always going to win.”