GORDON Elliott fired off a treble at Downpatrick on Friday and took home 240 bottles of Coors Light for his stable staff, courtesy of Molson Coors who have sponsored at each race meeting this year, for being the leading trainer at Downpatrick in 2017.

Dual chase winner Poormans Hill was the meat in the Elliott sandwich (between Monkshood and Canny Tom), winning at short odds of 4/9 in the MB McGrady & Co, Accountants Handicap Hurdle.

In this two-mile, six and a half-furlong race, the Stowaway gelding was held up behind the leaders but was niggled along going to the second last having made a mistake at the previous flight.

Jack Kennedy took closer order on the eventual winner who was switched left in fourth before the last. He pulled clear in the closing stages for a four-length success for owners Vincent Caldwell and Kathleen Caldwell.

The Yvonne Latta-trained 33/1 shot Dry Run got into contention before the final two flights and looked challenging but the winner was too good. Cottonvale kept on to finish third.

The winner was completing a hat-trick, having won two chases after joining Elliott recently.

“He’s a grand, honest horse,” said Elliott. “Jack said it was a messy race and he was stuck behind a few and he might not have jumped as well today coming back to hurdles. “He has won three races so job done.”

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned Monkshood had earlier won for the Cullentra team in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle over two miles, six furlongs.

Set a good gallop from flagfall by Jack Kennedy, the 8/13 shot kept up the pressure on his rivals and stretched away after the second last. He was eased down close home with plenty left in the tank for a three-length win over the Stuart Crawford-trained Whispering Affair with Getaway Kid another five and a half lengths behind in third.

Monkshood had won a Clonmel bumper in February and finished third over hurdles at Navan before that.

Elliott commented: “He’s a big chaser in the making and will be a grand horse. Whatever he does will be a bonus before he goes jumping fences. He’ll stay all day.”

OUTSTAYED

The meeting opened with the aptly named Can You Believe It’s October Maiden Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs. This went to the Christy Roche inmate Out Of The Loop (7/1) who outstayed the latest French import for Willie Mullins, Sympa Des Flos, sent off at 8/13.

The J.P. McManus-owned winner jumped well for Mark Walsh and stayed on strongly having travelled comfortably with the fast pace set by the leaders Sympa Des Flos and Statistical. Sympa Des Flos got the better of Statistical two flights from home but was passed by Out Of The Loop before the final flight.

Mark Walsh said: “He has improved from his last run. I don’t know how good a race it was but they went a good gallop and it suited him.’’

In the Portman Dental Care Handicap Hurdle, it was another win for Des McDonogh’s Alterno who had scored here in late August and then been fourth last time out at Gowran Park in difficult ground.

Sent off at 14/1, the Jackie Bolger-owned Alterno was pushed along by a confident Ger Fox, was fourth halfway and improved to lead before the last.

He kept on well when pressed on the run-in to post a length victory over Tranquil Magic with Better Back Bob one-paced in third.

Punters looking for an Elliott treble had backed Boudry from 4/1 into 9/4 favourite but, coming under pressure before the last, he could only finish fifth.

McDonogh said of his winner: “He loved it there. The ground was too heavy in Gowran for him and he missed the third last which you can’t do there.

“He loves to be in charge and that boy gave him a super ride. He did everything he was told.”

Alterno is unlikely to race over the winter with his dislike of heavy ground.

MEADE WINNER

As expected Joey Sasa won the JP Corry Building Suppliers Hurdle for owners Eamonn Duignan and Bernard Woods, going off at 4/7 in the two-mile, two-furlong contest. It all went smoothly for Jonathan Moore who never had any sticky moments in the three-runner race.

Noel Meade’s 138-rated eight-year-old jumped with style and looked the winner from when the pace increased after the third last.

On the run-in he was eased down from front-runner Peace News who finished six lengths in second and the only other finisher Dakota Moirette weakened in third.

“We’ll probably go for one of those good handicaps. The ground is usually very heavy at Ascot for their big handicap hurdle so it’s probably unlikely he will go there. It’s more likely he will go to Fairyhouse,” said Meade. “He won’t go over fences this year, that’s not the plan.”

Elliott’s treble was completed by Canny Tom in the Frank Fitzsimons Memorial Beginners Chase over two miles, three furlongs.

Keith Donoghue held the Half Two You’ll Do Racing Syndicate-owned winner up towards the rear and raced into fifth after three out.

Solar Heat looked to have the race won when kicking clear before the second last but Canny Tom stayed on well to pass the Dot Love mare on the run-in and won by three-quarters of a length at 8/1.

Scotch Beg had to overcome the winner colliding with her mid-jump at the last and was reported lame after finishing third.

Canny Tom had finally won at the 26th attempt at Tramore in August and this was only his second outing over fences.

Keith Donoghue commented: “He always runs his race. I knew there would be plenty of pace today and I knew that would suit him. Friends of mine own him so it’s good to get another win out of him. Hopefully there’s more to come.”

Racing ended with the Portman Dentalcare Handicap Chase over two miles, seven and a half furlongs which went to the in-form yard of Philip Dempsey with his son Luke riding Dinnie’s Vinnie.

The 9/4 favourite raced prominently, chasing the leader Ard Cregg from the second last and got by that challenger close home to record a half-length victory.

The winner had been third to Poormans Hill, an earlier winner on the card, on his return to action at the course last month.

Philip Dempsey said: “He missed the last but he battled well up the hill and relished it. We put the cheek-pieces on him today and Luke went the shortest way around the inside. It was a canny ride. He is in an amateur race at Punchestown next week over three miles one which would suit him.”