IT was Gordon Elliott’s turn to dominate the headlines at Punchestown on Thursday.

We should have known that it would be an Elliott day when Pallasator won the first race run, the John Shortt Legends Challenge, under Norman Williamson, who must have felt like he was riding Alderbrook in the Kingwell Hurdle again, and when the pony-sized looking by comparison Tiger Roll chased him home to complete the Gordon Elliott exacta. (It paid €24.00 by the way.)

Samcro was impressive under Jack Kennedy in winning the maiden hurdle and, still unbeaten after a point-to-point, three bumpers and now a maiden hurdle, he is a seriously exciting novice hurdler for the season ahead.

The two and a half-mile handicap hurdle was won by the well-supported Ben Dundee, who travelled through his race and who stayed on well for Davy Russell to win nicely. He was obviously well primed for this, his seasonal debut and his first run for Elliott, but, as long as the handicapper does not go bananas, he still could be a horse who will be of interest in a better handicap hurdle.

Then Death Duty went out in the Grade 3 Buck House Chase over two and a quarter miles and won easily under a silky ride from Davy Russell.

It was a significant drop down in trip for the Gigginstown House horse, who was sent off as favourite for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle last March and who won his beginners’ chase at Tipperary at the start of this month over two miles and seven furlongs. But he showed a lot of pace to come away from Woodland Opera from the home turn. His trainer did say that the Shantou gelding may not be an out and out stayer, and it may be that he is more a two and a half-mile chaser than a three-mile chaser. Either way, he is exciting.

Then Elliott won the qualified riders’ handicap chase with King’s Song – another who was making his debut for the yard – who danced in under a largely motionless Jamie Codd, whose only real concerns on the run to the final fence were the riderless Dorka and said final fence.

And the trainer inevitably rounded off the day by sending out Felix Desjy to run out a wide-margin winner of the bumper under Lisa O’Neill.

That was five from seven on the day for Gordon Elliott, six from eight if you count the charity race – the €9.90 that Pallasator earned for winning the charity race will hardly make the difference between winning and losing the trainers’ championship, although you never know – which you obviously can. Especially if you have done the Lucky 63.

Elliott had two winners on the Wednesday as well, two more exciting prospects for the season ahead in Cracking Smart and Campeador. It was some two-day production by the Cullentra House trainer. He has a star-sprinkled cast.