WINTER Monday mornings at Cullentra are easy mornings. The calm after the weekend storm.
It’s a sharp contrast to the inaugural two-day Navan Racing Festival. That was a buzzy and boisterous atmosphere - the start of something big for the racecourse. This is cool and content - business as usual for an operation that has sent out 27 winners over the last two weeks.
Gordon Elliott is a big fan of what Navan has created. No surprise. What is good for racing in Meath is good for Gordon. Seven winners over the weekend probably helps as well, in particular a sixth Troytown Chase and a hearty return to form of the previously much touted American Mike.
There were other promising performances as well. The big and burly Croke Park in the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle. Kala Conti in the juvenile hurdle. What’s Up Darling and Dee Capo in the Grade 3 For Auction. Stellar Story in a maiden hurdle.
Group that promise and potential altogether and add it to the Down Royal section from last weekend. It’s building up nicely now and that’s exactly how Elliott had planned. This stage of his training career is very much still in the rebuilding phase, with a significant focus on the younger horses.
It’s not a bad transitional period when you consider he sent out 10 Grade 1 winners last season and accumulated just short €4 million in prize money in Ireland. A chief contributor to that haul was Gerri Colombe and he’s already gone and got the Cullentra Grade 1 column up and running with a hard fought win in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase.
He looks readymade for a Gold Cup and Elliott knows that better than anyone. He’ll run the Robcour gelding just once more between now and Cheltenham in order to give him the best chance possible of toppling Galopin Des Champs and Co in the middle of March.
Of course, the hope is that Gerri will be accompanied by a strong team aside, mostly populated with up-and-coming stars. It’s a case of so-far-so good on that quest but we will learn more this week, at Punchestown this weekend and perhaps more pertinently, Fairyhouse next weekend.
Elliott was in good form chatting about these upcoming races and more for his young squad.
Absolute Notions
5yo b g Form: 1132P-1
Milan – Colleen Donnoige
Robcour
He will jump a fence at some stage this season but probably not on winter heavy ground. He wasn’t in love with the really heavy ground when he won at Fairyhouse.
American Mike
6yo b g Form: 312474-1
Mahler – American Jennie
Bective Stud
I was delighted with him at Navan. He was disappointing last year, you have to say that, but he was good last Sunday. It’s great for the Morans as well. It looked like a good race as well and he really stayed on well which I was most pleased with, he finished his race out. He worked in Tipperary a few weeks ago and we were delighted with him. We’ve done plenty of schooling with him and Jack has done plenty of work with him. I’m looking at the Grade 1 at Limerick for him now (Faugheen Novice Chase) - I don’t really want to go back to two miles with him and I don’t want to go up to three miles yet so we might try that. He loved that soft ground at Navan.
Ash Tree Meadow
7yo b g Form: 4222311
Bombon Rose – Alzasca
Alymer Stud
Myself and the owners have spoken about the Grand National for him but he looks like he might have a bit too much pace for that now. I’m giving him a break and he could be a horse to bring back for something like the Grade 2 Devenish at Fairyhouse in Easter.
Brighterdaysahead
4yo b f Form: 1111
Kapgarde - Matnie
Gigginstown House Stud
We were very happy with her at Down Royal, she’s a good mare. She ran a bit keenly early in the race but I’d put that down to greeness more than anything else. It was more or less her first run because the Thurles race she won wasn’t great. I was really happy with the way she hit the line at Down Royal. I think we’ll stick to mares’ races with her and she might have one more run between now and Cheltenham. She’s had two runs and she’s a big girl with a big engine. She has looked really good so far.
Chemical Energy
7yo ch g Form: 1142P-6
Well Chosen – Meadstown Miss
Caldwell Construction Ltd
He doesn’t want real heavy ground. He could go for something like the Paddy Power and then the English National. He runs well fresh but he just can’t handle soft ground.
Conflated
9yo b g Form: 1F231-3P53
Yeats – Saucy Present
Gigginstown House Stud
I was delighted with him in Down Royal. He ran a great race probably going the wrong way. We’re very happy with him. He’ll go back to Leopardstown for the Savills and we’ll decide then whether he’ll go for the Cross Country or Gold Cup after that. I knew there was an awful lot of improvement from his run at Punchestown so he didn’t surprise me a whole lot. He’s a very good horse - third in the Gold Cup last year.
Coko Beach
8yo gr g Form: 9441P-31
Cokoriko - Solana Beach
Gigginstown House Stud
He’s been a great horse for us and we are lucky to have him. He probably had his ideal conditions in the Troytown because he stays very well and handles soft ground. We could look at the Paddy Power for him but he probably wants that soft ground. Maybe we could have a look at one of the Nationals. He’s a real character at home but he has been a great servant.
Croke Park
5yo b g Form: 21-211
Walk In The Park - Toledana
Gigginstown House Stud
He was good at Navan. Jack said he was only just doing enough, very babyish. He thinks he’s a three-mile chaser. He’s a big horse so we could go straight to the Lawlor’s with him now, I don’t want to go to the well too much with him at this stage of his career. He had a few niggly problems last year but he’s all good now.
Delta Work
10yo br g Form: 1361U-36
Network – Robbe
Gigginstown House Stud
Unfortunately he was lame after his run in the cross country race at Cheltenham. It’s nothing serious but you could see halfway through the race his jumping went to pot. We’ll get him back for Cheltenham. Maybe we’ll look for a hurdle race in February and go from there.
Down Memory Lane
5yo b g Form: 1-11
Walk In The Park – Credo Star
John P McManus
We were very happy with him at Down Royal. He hurdled very well. He might not see a whole lot of racing this year but we like him. He’s in the Royal Bond and could go there. He looks like a two-miler at the moment, he showed good pace at Down Royal and though that wasn’t a strong race, we were impressed with him.
Dunboyne
8yo b g Form: 1P24P-4
Yeats - Patsy Cline
S P O’Connor
I thought he ran very well. Jordan (Gainford) said he had a good blow coming to the second last. We could go back to the Thyestes with him and then maybe look to one of the National races in the spring.
Fakir D’alene
8yo b g Form: 1174B/23
Cokoriko – Serbanne
Bective Stud
He ran well for a long time in the Troytown. He got hurt after a fall in the Irish Grand National last year and he only ran once, in a point-to-point, since so it was a fair effort from him. He might be better on better ground so he should have options going forward, maybe the Irish or English Grand National.
Farren Glory
6yo b g Form: 42-151
Fame And Glory - Toledana
Niall Earls
He was good first time out. It probably wasn’t the strongest race at Clonmel but he did it very well. I’d say he’s a smart horse, a big chaser for next year.
Firefox
5yo b g Form: 42- 111
Walk In The Park – Cuteasafox
Bective Stud
He did it well at Down Royal. That was a nice race to get him started. I like him. He is a nice prospect for hurdles which is what we will do with him next. I’d imagine two and a half miles will be his trip to start off.
Found A Fifty
6yo b g Form: 1-2-12841
Solskjaer - Fillmein
Bective Stud
He’s exciting now after his beginners’ chase win at Down Royal. I loved the way he hit the line. I was very impressed and I imagine he’ll go for the Drinmore. I wasn’t surprised with him actually - I probably went to the well with him a little too often last year and he blew his top. I shouldn’t have run him at Aintree. He looks like a nice horse.
Galvin
9yo b g Form: 1462U-8
Gold Well – Burren Moonshine
R.A. Bartlett
I was delighted with him at Cheltenham. H’d have hated the ground so it was a great run. We’ll hopefully get him back to the Festival.
Gerri Colombe
7yo b g Form: 111-1211
Saddler Maker - Ruse De Guerre
Robcour
He’ll be in the Savills. It depends on the ground, if it’s safe he will go there, if not we could look at the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January.
We have options. He doesn’t mind nice ground but you don’t want to be chancing him on it that time of the year. He’ll come on an awful lot from Down Royal.
He has only been back cantering since the middle of September and Jack said he had a right blow, and there’d be loads of improvement. We’ll probably run just once more between now and the Gold Cup. The one thing about him is he has the will to win and that is a massive attribute.
Harmonya Maker
6yo b f Form: 7413-1UFP1
Saddler Maker (IRE)- Hahyasi (FR)
Tim O’Driscoll
She jumped well bar the second or third last when she won at Gowran. She’s a bit more settled now, she was always a bit revved up over hurdles so she might be able to do better now. There’s a race in Cork and Limerick for her all going well.
Imagine
5yo b g Form: 122253-1
Montmartre - Ofurie
Caldwell Construction Ltd
He was good in Fairyhouse - jumped brilliant. That wasn’t a bad race actually. He’s very tough. He could go for the Drinmore. I think stepping up in trip will suit him and it looks like he’ll be a better chaser than he was a hurdler.
Irish Point
5yo gr g Form: 24111
Joshua Tree (IRE) - Burkina (FR)
Robcour
He was good at Down Royal. He’s probably a hard horse to place. We might go for the Hatton’s Grace along with Teahupoo and a couple of others. He could go to three miles eventually but it’s just whether we want to be doing that with him now at this stage of his career, he’s still young. We’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place because I’m not sure he has the pace for the top two-mile races, but we might have a go at the Hatton’s Grace.
Kala Conti
3yo b f Form: 11
Karaktar – Rolibie De Vindecy
Robcour
The race she won last Sunday was weak but Jack was impressed with her. He thought she could have gone around again no problem. It was a nice start and we’ll look at the Grade 3 for her at Fairyhouse next weekend.
King Of Kingsfield
5yo b g Form: 1/153-22
Vadamos - Passion Planet
Gigginstown House Stud
He has disappointed me to be honest. I might keep him for a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown on good ground. I could actually see him winning one of those good handicap hurdles during the spring if things worked out.
Pied Piper
5yo ch g Form: 115426-
New Approach - Pure Fantasy
Caldwell Construction Ltd
He goes for the Morgiana. He’s another horse that could be hard to place. Obviously Willie’s horses will be hard bet but we’ll probably start him here. He’s in good form, he ran well in the Cesarewitch.
Saint Felicien
6yo br g Form: 1/12P/3
Saint Des Saints – In Race
Robcour
I was happy enough with his start at Navan. It wasn’t ideal making the running, he had a good look around but he kept on well.
Samcro
11yo ch g Form: 030/P111
Germany - Dun Dun
Gigginstown House Stud
He was good at Tinahely last weekend. The ground was very soft and he probably wasn’t in love with it. He’ll probably have one more run and we’ll go for the Foxhunter at Cheltenham.
Sire Du Berlais
11yo b g Form: P4113-
Poliglote – Royale Athenia
J.P. McManus
He’s the horse of a lifetime and we’re lucky to have him. He’s so unimpressive at home, he doesn’t do a stroke. He’s not getting any younger but he’ll go to the Hatton’s Grace. It’s hard to get him fit, it takes a couple of runs because he’s so laid back.
Teahupoo
6yo b g Form: 61134-
Masked Marvel – Droit D’Aimer
Robcour
He’s doing very well. He’ll start in the Hatton’s Grace and maybe go to Leopardstown at Christmas. If he improved 5lb from last year, he has to be in the mix with the best staying hurdlers but even his run in the race last year might be good enough to have him there.
Three Card Brag
6yo b g Form: 132156-
Jet Away – Belon Breeze
McNeill Family/P & S Bryceland
He’ll go to Fairyhouse next weekend. He jumps very well and he has worked very well. I was tempted to run him last weekend but when I worked him and he just had a little blow and I said we should wait another fortnight. He’s a fair horse, not flashy at home, but a fair horse. He always looked like he was going to be a chaser.
Wodhooh
3yo b f Form: 111
Le Harve - Dhan
The Sundowners Partnership
She’s honest and she loves soft ground. She battled well to win at Down Royal. She’ll go to Newbury now next week for a listed race on Friday.
Zanahiyr
6yo ch g Form: 5335-12
Nathaniel – Zariyna
Bective Stud
He ran well to be second to Bob Olinger in the Lismullen. His last couple of runs have been good. I’d say you could see him anywhere from two to three miles. We were tempted to try him over the three miles last season, and we could try that this year.
Jack Kennedy’s champion jockey bid
I’d love to see it. I think it’s going to happen some day, whether it’s this year or another year. I’m sure he’d love to do it and he looks like he’s ahead of where he was last year and he’s probably in a better position than he was, as in he’s first jockey and he doesn’t have to worry about Davy Russell.
His Troytown army
I let it (the criticism) go over my head to be honest. I started with nothing. I worked hard for everything I got. I think we didn’t stop any horse from running in the race, the race didn’t fill. If I only ran two horses there would be eight horses in the race and for a €100,000 race that Bar One Racing are sponsoring and for Navan racecourse, it would have been embarrassing. All my owners are paying trainers fees and entry fees and they want to run.
Becoming champion trainer
If you asked me two or three years ago it’s all I talked about. My ambition in life is to be champion trainer but I look at life a little bit differently now. It’s what I want to do and it’s my aim in life but after what happened to me, I look at things differently now.