Gordon Elliott 2026 Cheltenham Festival stable tour

Gordon Elliott hopes stable star Brighterdaysahead and some of his talented novice hurdlers can help his team kick off this year’s Cheltenham Festival in style, after a disappointing four-day campaign at the Home of Jump Racing in 2025.

The County Meath based trainer had to wait until the last of The Festival’s 28 races last year to register a winner.

But with a series of high-profile winners this season, Elliott is hoping he can put the frustrations of 11 months ago behind him.

Speaking at a media event hosted by The Jockey Club at his yard today (Tuesday), he recalled the emotions of the 2025 Festival: “It was hard for me but it was hard for my staff too. The horses were brilliant. We had a number of seconds and placed in big races – we just didn’t get the bounce of the ball.

“And in racing, soccer, rugby that’s the same – you’ve got to keep your head going. But as hard as it was for me, for all my staff who were putting in all the hours it was harder for them. The horses didn’t run badly, we just didn’t get the bounce of the ball.

“When you look at this season everything is bouncing right for us. That’s sport. You just put those days behind you but that’s what makes it better when you win.

“In this game you take nothing for granted. It’s day by day. We’re very lucky to have the horses we have and hopefully we’ll go to Cheltenham and have a few winners. That’s what we’re all dreaming about.

“It just shows, last year we had to wait for the last race. We hit the crossbar umpteen times with seconds, thirds, fourths. On another week we could have three or four winners very easy and you’d have gone home saying you’d had a great week but it’s sport and you’ve got to keep your head up and keep going to the next day.”

This year will be the 10th anniversary of one of Elliott’s greatest achievements, winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Don Cossack. And although his office is littered with memorabilia from some of his great triumphs, there is nothing from that day in March 2016. 

Elliott laughs: “All the good ones are in my house. All the Grade Ones are in the house, in my kitchen. Every morning, breakfast, lunch and dinner, before I go to bed I’m looking at them!

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since Don Cossack. In a way when you look at the pictures there’s more grey hairs and extra holes on the belt but it doesn’t seem like it. We’ve had a lot of good days and bad days since it but it’s a day we’ll never forget.”

Elliott went on to run the rule over some of his big hopes for this year:

“I haven’t spoken to Michael and Eddie about him yet. My own feeling is the further he goes the better he’s going to be. He’s not a fancy work horse at home and if you look at him in races he looks turning in like he’s going to be beaten but he’s very gutsy and he picks up. Again, that could suit the Supreme as well but he has both options.”

“You’d look to be going there with her having had better preparation around Cheltenham. But the last year the mare didn’t do anything wrong, then (last year) Jack (Kennedy) and Paul (Townend) were looking at each other and that good mare called Golden Ace came and nabbed both of them. 

“I think last year she wasn’t right. After Punchestown we discovered something and we rectified it. She was beaten after a hurdle last year.

“We might do something different this year. We might stable her outside Cheltenham this year and just try and do something different.”

Asked whether he has a ground preference for the mare, he said: “No. I think the ground’s going to be beautiful on the Tuesday. The one ground you wouldn’t want is quick ground and I don’t think we’re going to have that on the Tuesday.”

On whether Leopardstown had taken a lot out of Brighterdaysahead, he went on: “It was soft ground but we have this every day of the week in Ireland. We don’t worry about it. We don’t go on about it. We freshen our horses up and we o into battle the next day.

“It was soft ground but I’d prefer soft ground to quick ground any day of the week.

“It is an open Champion Hurdle. There’s two or three horses at the top of the betting that could win it. She’s in very good form and I couldn’t be happier with her.

“It’s a good race. The Skelton horse (The New Lion) will be very good, obviously Golden Ace keeps going under the radar and I suppose all eyes will be on Constitution Hill to see if he’ll be going back over hurdles. 

“I don’t think they’ll learn any more at Southwell than Nicky (Henderson) will have already known. So if runs in the race (the Unibet Champion Hurdle) it’ll make it a better race, won’t it?”

Asked what he would do if he was in Nicky’s position, Elliott said: “I’d let the horse do the talking. The horse has been unlucky. I’m not having it said that he’s a bad jumper and this and that. He’s just been a bit unlucky and maybe has lost a bit of confidence but Nicky Henderson is a master trainer and whatever he does will be the right thing for the horse. I just worry about my own horses.”

Asked if the idea of Brighterdaysahead taking on fences one day had been shelved permanently, Elliott said: “No. Shell definitely go chasing next year. To be honest she wasn’t even supposed to be staying over hurdles this year and then she pulled a muscle and we just missed time. 

“She was actually entered in Leopardstown over fences as well as hurdles the weekend she went over hurdles and we decided we’d keep her hurdling.

“I’d be shocked if she didn’t go chasing. Michael (O’Leary, owner) buys all those horses to go chasing and I imagine that’s the road she’ll go.”

“I think she’s a very good mare and everyone can see that. She’s an unassuming mare. She’s not fancy at home but she keeps doing her work. We’re looking forward to seeing her at Cheltenham but it’s the Champion Hurdle and it won’t be easy.

“You’re always thinking of something different. It’s obvious – she’s been to Cheltenham twice and hasn’t won and last year was very bad. But for me she was beaten after a hurdle last year and we had a little problem after it. But if you don’t try and tweak and change things then you shouldn’t be training horses. That’s my job and I’m trying to do something different every day.”

“He’s a very fast horse and he works very, very well. We looked like he was going to be very impressive at Leopardstown and I thought what he did at Thurles on a track that wouldn’t suit him – ground that was nearly unraceable but I was very keen to get a run into him and we were kind of running out of time.

“He’s not a big, robust horse so I didn’t want to be running him three or four weeks out from Cheltenham. I wanted to get a run into him. I think he’s a quick horse and I think the race will suit him so we’re looking forward to it.”

“The Cross Country at Cheltenham and then the Grand National is the plan. I thought he really took to the Cross Country the first day (when he fell in December). 

“I was really impressed when he won there the last day and I think the fact there is a Stumptown in there is a bonus because it should keep us 7 or 8lb off the top. 

“He is one we are looking forward to.”

“I think the course at Cheltenham will suit him. He is a classy horse and improved all through last year. I was very impressed with what he did at Ascot (when a staying-on third in Grade One Long Walk Hurdle). 

“I was keen to run him at Navan but the ground was just so heavy and I didn’t want to pull the legs out of him as he’s not the biggest or most robust horse. We’ll get a racecourse gallop into him and he’ll go straight to Cheltenham.”

“She hasn’t done much wrong. She raced pretty keenly at Leopardstown the last day when I was very impressed with Willie’s horse (Narciso Has) and I don’t know really what is going to beat him (in the JCB Triumph Hurdle).

“We have the Fred Winter and the mares’ novices’ hurdle plus Fairyhouse to look at as well. There is no plan in concrete yet.”

“She impressed me the last time and has a good attitude. I love the way she quickened from the last to the line and I’m really looking forward to the mares’ novices’ hurdle with her. She has obviously already beaten Bambino Fever of Willie’s who will come on for that but we have come on too. 

I think she’s improving at home all the time and is a nice mare.”

“We’re going to keep everything up in the air for the moment. Obviously we have the Arkle and the Brown Advisory. I don’t think three miles will be a problem at all, it’s just whether it’s the right thing for him at this stage of his career – I’m not sure.

“The owners are from the UK and they’d be very keen to have runners at Cheltenham. If the middle distance race was there we wouldn’t be having this conversation but maybe for racing it’s good that t’s not there and it’ll make either race better. But I suppose for Romeo it’s not ideal.

“I think he’s won two Grade Ones over two miles because of his guts and his heart. He’s been going as quick as he can from three or four out in every race and he just showed how good a horse he is.

“The Arkle is going to be a hot race if Kopek (Des Bordes) comes back and Nicky’s horse was very good the other day and everything else that will run in the race. A lot of horses are going to get beaten in the Arkle and end up being very good going forward and it wouldn’t shock me if that was him. But he’s going there in good form.

“I suppose the one thing is if he wasn’t within firing distance of them swinging off the home turn. He’s going to come home strong – it’s just whether he gets out of his comfort zone coming down the hill or not. That would be my concern.”

Asked if he sees him as a future Boodles Gold Cup contender, Elliott replied simply: “Yes, definitely.”

Asked if Final Demand’s performance at the Dublin Racing Festival might play a part in where Romeo Coolio runs ends up at Cheltenham, Elliott replied: “I don’t worry about anyone’s horses bar my own.

“I’ve got other horses for that race. Whether we decide we o there or not, it wouldn’t be Final Demand I’d be afraid of – it’s just on the day what turns up.

“There’s no reason to say Willie won’t get him back to Cheltenham in top form. He just never looked happy the last day but he’s Willie’s horse and I can’t answer that question.”  

“He’ll go to the 2m 5f race (Turners Novices' Hurdle). He obviously was a fortunate winner at Christmas. I think Talk The Talk was going to beat him. Jack wasn’t sure but for me I thought he was gone.

“But our horse did hit the line very well. I think 2m 5f will really suit him but I think he’d travel very well in a two mile race.”

“He is another year older and more than any of us is holding his condition a bit mor, so I thought an extra run probably wasn’t a bad idea. 

“He is in great form but never does anything fancy at home so you never know where you really are with him. He is a warrior and has good form around Cheltenham, so we are really looking forward to it. 

“Teahupoo sets the standard and Honesty Policy is the young one coming behind him – they are two nice horses. 

“I was thrilled with him when he second at Leopardstown. He had only been back with us for 3 or 4 weeks before finishing second in that Grade One. 

With a bit of better ground and the experience he has, I think he could be a bit of a dark horse for the Brown Advisory. He has 11 runs over fences already which is mad for a novice but he’s battled hardened.”

“She’s in great form. She’ll go straight to the Mares’ Hurdle. She’s not fancy at home. She wouldn’t knock you out with her work but she keeps winning. She’s only been beaten once, by Lossiemouth, but she’s a good mare. 

“She gave herself a cut in Leopardstown and it’s almost healed.

“She is a little bit like Golden Ace in that she keeps winning but probably hasn’t got the credit she probably deserves. She has only been beaten once, when she was beaten just under three lengths by Lossiemouth on her first run in open company at Aintree. 

“She is a good mare and we are lucky to have her. We’d be more hopeful than confident about beating Lossiemouth because she’s a superstar. 

“Our mare is going there in good form and we are looking forward to it.”

“Stellar Story will run if the ground is on the soft side – if it’s not, he won’t. 

“Firefox ran a great race in the Irish Gold Cup when he was fourth and could be the sort of horse to run into a place at a massive price. 

“I am 50-50 with Three Card Brag – he could maybe go for the Bobbyjo Chase instead and then on to the Grand National instead. 

“It looks like there will be a big field and it will suit a horse dropping in a bit because there is going to be an awful lot of pace in the race. It looks like a great race and we’d more hopeful than confident with a few outsiders.”

Based: Cullentra, Longwood, Co Meath

Born: March 2, 1978

Background: A very successful point-to-point rider, Gordon Elliott also partnered 46 winners as an amateur under Rules in Ireland and Britain.

He started his racing career while still at school, working at Tony Martin's stable in County Meath. He moved to Britain, joining Martin Pipe, and learnt a lot during his spell in Somerset with the 15-times champion Jump trainer. His biggest victory as a rider was on board King's Road, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, in the 1998 Punchestown Champion Bumper.

Elliott returned to Ireland for another term at Martin's stables. After commencing handling point-to-pointers, he started his main training career from Capranny Stables in Trim, Co Meath in early 2006 and bought 78-acre Cullentra House Farm, Longwood, Co Meath, in 2011, where the facilities have been built up from scratch, with a capacity of over 200 horses, four gallops, three schooling grounds, an equine pool, a natural spa and more.

He shot to international prominence with victory in the 2007 Grand National, aged 29, with 33/1 chance Silver Birch, despite having not sent out a winner back home, and won the Aintree showpiece again in 2018 and 2019 with the amazing Tiger Roll, who also won five times at the Cheltenham Festival. 

His 41 Cheltenham Festival winners make him the fourth most successful trainer of all time at the meeting and include the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Don Cossack. 

First winner as a trainer: Arresting, Fugro-Technip Handicap Hurdle, Perth, June 11, 2006

2011 Chicago Grey - National Hunt Chase

2011 Carlito Brigante - Coral Cup

2013 Flaxen Flare - Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

2014 Tiger Roll - JCB Triumph Hurdle

2015 Cause Of Causes - National Hunt Chase

2016 Diamond King - Coral Cup

2016 Cause Of Causes - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase

2016 Don Cossack – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

2017 Labaik – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

2017 Apple’s Jade - Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

2017 Tiger Roll - National Hunt Chase

2017 Cause Of Causes - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

2017 Fayonagh - Weatherbys Champion Bumper

2017 Champagne Classic - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

2018 Samcro - Turners Novices’ Hurdle 

2018 Tiger Roll - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

2018 Veneer Of Charm - Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

2018 Shattered Love - Marsh Novices’ Chase

2018 Delta Work - Pertemps Network Final

2018 The Storyteller – Plate Handicap Chase

2018 Farclas - JCB Triumph Hurdle

2018 Blow By Blow - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

2019 Tiger Roll - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

2019 Envoi Allen - Weatherbys Champion Bumper

2019 Sire Du Berlais - Pertemps Network Final

2020 Ravenhill - National Hunt Chase

2020 Envoi Allen - Turners Novices’ Hurdle

2020 Aramax - Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

2020 Samcro - Turners Novices’ Chase

2020 Sire Du Berlais - Pertemps Network Final

2020 Milan Native - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase

2020 Chosen Mate - Johnny Henderson Grand Annual

2022 Commander Of Fleet - Coral Cup

2022 Delta Work - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

2023 Jazzy Matty - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

2023 Delta Work - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

02023 Sire Du Berlais - Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

2024 Teahupoo - Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

2024 Stellar Story - Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle

2024 Better Days Ahead - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

2025 Wodhooh - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

2018 – 8 winners

2017 – 6 winners