HAVING written in last week’s column that Gordon Elliott is popular with Northern racegoers, it was good to see northern connections with the trainer’s first BoyleSports Irish Grand National winner, General Principle, and the mare who gave him that record-making 200th win in a season, Portnablagh.

The Gold Well gelding General Principle was purchased for £20,000 at Goffs’ 2012 Spring Sale in Doncaster as a three-year-old by Stuart Crawford who sent him out to win a maiden on his debut at Kirkistown in November 2014.