IT’S hard to credit that just six years ago, Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra House stables was a run-down farmyard.
Construction on the yard started in 2012 and it now comprises of new gallops, stables, turn-out paddocks, walkers and the most recent addition is a state of the art swimming pool. As stated last week, the yard can accommodate over 170 horses.
Elliott is a major employer and said: “We have great staff and we have around 60 people employed either full or part-time. Most of the team are young and some have been with me from the start and everyone knows their job.”
I would have thought that there are some headaches when they have multiple runners heading to a couple of fixtures and on St Stephen’s Day, Elliott had runners at Leopardstown, Limerick and Down Royal.
When he won six races at Navan last year (on Troytown Chase Day) he had over 25 runners but Elliott said: “Mary Nugent and Camilla Sharples look after all that.
“They might run something by me, but by and large they run that side of things and get the horses and staff organised and they and the rest of the staff that travel with and look after the horses when they go racing are brilliant.
“The likes of Simon McGonagle, Shane McCann, Bobby McNally and my brother Joey have been here from the start. Zoe Winston runs the office and the Gordon Elliott Racing Club and I am just very lucky to have such a good team around me,” said Elliott.
“We have a good few jockeys that come in and ride out and we try and give them all as many opportunities as possible.
“Lisa O’Neill and Luke McGuinness ride the bumper horses when Jamie [Codd] isn’t available. Obviously Jack is here every day and rides whatever he can and Bryan rides the horses for Gigginstown.
“Davy Russell comes in and rides out for us and we also have Cian Collins, Anthony Fox and Chris Timmons who are here full time. Keith Donoghue, David Mullins, Mikey Fogarty and Johnny Burke come in and ride out for us as well so we are well looked after jockey-wise.”
The yard is located two miles from the village of Longwood and just a couple of minutes from Enfield - very close to the M4 motorway and it is situated on 78 acres.
There are two purpose-built gallops, a four-furlong circular Wexford sand gallop which was recently resurfaced and an extended six-furlong woodchip straight gallop on an incline on which the horses do their faster work. There is an all-weather schooling strip with Easyfix hurdles and fences and also a schooling ring inside the circular gallop which caters mainly for the younger horses. In addition there are schooling fences on grass.
Elliott purchased Cullentra in October 2012 and has since turned an old farmyard into a thriving top class training facility. He anticipates that he may have to add on more boxes and he, along with Olly Murphy and bloodstock agent Mouse O’Ryan, are regulars at almost every sale.
He has recently added two new barns, an extension to his outdoor arena and a top class equine swimming pool.
This is part two of the horses likely to run on the domestic scene. Next week we will concentrate on the horses with Cheltenham entries.
MINELLA TILL DAWN
5yo br g (1-21)
Shantou - Have At It
John P McManus
He is a lovely horse and you’d imagine that we won’t see the best of him until he sees a fence. He won his point-to-point last year and he won his maiden hurdle at Thurles before Christmas. I’ll speak to Frank and J.P. I’d imagine that we’ll look at a novice or a winners’ race for him. He likes an ease in the ground and he is a big chaser in the making. We’ll find a winners race or a novice hurdle and see how that goes.
MONBEG NOTORIOUS
6yo b g (F14-3112)
Milan - Borleagh Princess
Gigginstown House Stud
He is another big three-mile chaser. He has done well for us this season. He won a bumper at Tipperary before he won his maiden hurdle at Down Royal. I like him and he has a great attitude. He was second in a graded hurdle at Cork and he hasn’t run since. He is still a bit weak and he will have one or two more runs this season. He wants three miles and a galloping track.
MONBEG WORLDWIDE
5yo b g (1-11)
Lucarno - Molly Duffy
Gigginstown House Stud
He is a nice horse and I’m looking forward to going jumping with this lad next season. He has won two bumpers and he’ll run in another bumper, possibly at Fairyhouse and that will be it for this season. He has the make and build of a chaser and he jumps great. He has won a point-to-point and we’ll mind him this season with a view to going jumping later on this year. He handles soft ground well.
MONKSHOOD
5yo br g (431)
Stowaway - Flirthing Around
Gigginstown House Stud
He is a nice horse that won his bumper last week on what looked very soft ground. I like him and he may run in another bumper before the end of the season, but like a lot of the horses that Eddie and Michael buy, he is a chaser in the making and whatever he does this season is only a bonus. He has been placed in two maiden hurdles and I’d say he won’t go back over hurdles until next season.
MOONSHINE LAD
9yo b g (U24U3)
Milan - Parsons Term
Brendan Scully
He is a grand horse that has bumped into some good horses in beginners chases this season. He was third to Acapella Bourgeois at Navan and that form was given a boost at Navan last Sunday. He was well beaten by him, but it was a good effort and he’ll go back over fences and hopefully he’ll pick up a novice chase. He is a good fun horse that will hopefully win races over fences. He was rated in the mid 130s over hurdles and he does stay well.
REALT MOR
12yo b g (4831FP1304123)
Beneficial - Dam Suez Canal
Mrs P Sloan
He is a great old horse. He has won a Grade 1 and then he lost his way a bit, but he has come back to form this season and he has been a great money spinner. You’d wonder how good he could have been if we had a clear run with him, but he can do either job and he seems to handle any ground. He doesn’t have a lot of miles on the clock and if he managed to get into the Irish National, there is every chance that he will run in that.
RIGHTDOWNTHEMIDDLE
9yo b g (6072772)
Oscar - Dam Alternative Route
Richard Gilbert
He ran in a handicap hurdle at the weekend and ran well, but he might prefer better ground. He could be aimed at the Irish National. He isn’t with us that long and we are still feeling our way with him. He had some good form over fences before he joined us and he is a horse that can do a bit of anything. He will be aimed at the home spring festivals and if he didn’t make the cut for the National, there are plenty of races for him over hurdles and fences at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
SANIBEL ISLAND
5yo b g (2-12F1264)
Scorpion - Topanberry
T J Doran
He got a bit tired on the bad ground at Naas and we’ll see a better horse on drier ground. He looks a chaser and he will go over fences next season. He likes better ground and we’ll keep him at home and aim him at something at Fairyhouse and/or Punchestown. He has won a bumper and a maiden hurdle and there are more races to be won with him.
MOSSBACK
5yo b g (1-531)
Yeats - Sejour
Gigginstown House Stud
He is a nice horse and won at Punchestown on Wednesday. We’ll run him a graded hurdle before the end of the season, but he is a horse for next season. He has run a couple of promising races in maiden hurdles, and he should win races for us over hurdles, but his future is over fences.
STONE HARD
7yo b g (1UP4-P413)
Robin Des Champs - Amber Light
Gigginstown House Stud
He is not a bad horse. He won his beginners’ chase at Christmas time at Limerick and he will go for a graded chase somewhere. He has an engine and he will be kept at home with a view to running him at Fairyhouse and/or Punchestown.
SIRE DU BERLAIS
5yo b g (313)
Poliglote - Royale Athenia
John P McManus
He had some good form in France and I was happy enough with his first run for us in a listed hurdle at Punchestown. I’ll see what Frank and JP want to do, but you’d pleased with that run and he looks a nice horse.
SAMCRO
5yo ch g (1-11)
Germany - Dun Dun
Gigginstown House Stud
He is a horse that we like. He cost a lot of money after he won his point-to-point and he has done all that has been asked of him by winning both his bumpers. He had to battle to win the last day at Navan, but you can see by the make and shape of him, that he is chaser in the making and we are in bonus territory with him this season. He will probably have one more run this season, more than likely at Fairyhouse and that will be it. I’d doubt if he’ll go for the Grade 1 bumper at Punchestown.
SUTTON PLACE
6yo b g (3111-1)
Mahler - Glebe Beauty
John P McManus
I was happy with him at Navan. I know he was quoted in the betting for the Champion Hurdle, but as Barry said after he won the other day, he just isn’t mature enough for a race like that. He is a nice horse and is unbeaten over hurdles and we’ll see Frank and JP want to do. We’ll look at Aintree and there is a Grade 2 at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
SUTTON MANOR
6yo b g (2/2-213421)
Gold Well - Nighty Bless
Gigginstown House Stud
He has been placed in two Pertemps qualifiers and if he makes the cut he’ll run in the final at Cheltenham. If he doesn’t go there, the novice handicap final at Fairyhouse would look an option for him. He jumps and he stays and he likes soft ground. He handles good ground as well, so if he didn’t get in at Cheltenham, he’ll be kept at home and be aimed at a couple of decent staying handicap hurdles at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
TAGLIETELLE
8yo b g (FR296P306)
Tagula - Averami
Olduvai Syndicate
He has been a great servant and has won plenty of prize money for the lads that own him. He hasn’t really taken to fences and he’ll go back to Cheltenham for a rattle at the Coral Cup. He has won around Aintree and he has been placed at the festival at Cheltenham and the lads that own him have knocked great sport out of him.
TYCOON PRINCE
7yo b g (132P-4)
Trans Island - Downtown Train
Gigginstown House Stud
We’ve had a few niggly problems with him this season and he has had just the one run over hurdles at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve. That was a respectable effort and he has a massive engine so we’ll find a little conditions hurdle for him. Chasing is going to be his game and he will handle any ground. He is a nice horse and I’ve been happy with him since Punchestown and he’ll be kept at home for the spring festivals.
UCELLO CONTI
9yo b g (6236-7472)
Martaline - Gazelle Lulu
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede
I was happy enough with the weight that he got for Aintree. He has experience over the fences which is always a plus and he has been running well at home in some good handicap chases. He was sixth in the National last year and was placed in the Becher Chase and we have had the National in mind for him all season. He has been in good form since he ran in the Thyestes and at the minute, I’d say he’ll go straight for the English National. You need a lot of luck at Aintree, but he is a sound jumper and if we get there in good shape, you’d be hopeful that he’ll give a good account of himself.
WOODS WELL
6yo ch g (22-1213)
Fleetwood - Millbrook Marble
Gigginstown House Stud
He has won a bumper and a maiden hurdle and he is a staying chaser down the road. He was a bit disappointing the last day at Clonmel, but we’ll look at a novice or a handicap hurdle for him. Something like the novice final at Fairyhouse could be an option for him, but whatever he does this season will be a bonus and he will be jumping fences this time next year.
VEINARD
8yo ch g (7132276)
Shaanmer - Ombline
T D Howley Jnr/J N O’Brien
I was happy enough with his run in the good handicap hurdle at Newbury. He proved to me at Newbury that he can be competitive in those good handicap hurdles, but he needs better ground. Jack said that he travelled away great until the second last but said that he couldn’t quicken on that bad ground. I think there is a good day in this lad and if we get a bit of decent ground, Aintree could be the place for him. If not he’ll be kept at home for Fairyhouse and/or Punchestown.
SEASON STATISTICS - to Feb 23rd
Runs 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Win Money Place Money Total *
975 161 155 117 87 €2,339,275 €1,009,688 €3,348,963