Gordon Elliott: my big hopes for the Cheltenham Festival

Gordon is under no illusions about the task facing Gerri Colombe as he bids to turn the tables on the “awesome” Galopin Des Champs in next month’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs was a brilliant winner of the race last season and while he was beaten on his next couple of starts, he has roared back to his best with victories in both the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Gerri Colombe, a three-time Grade One-winning novice last term and narrowly denied Festival glory by The Real Whacker, made a successful start to his first campaign in open company in the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November, but was firmly put in his place Galopin Des Champs over the festive period.

And while Elliott is adamant his star stayer was not at his best in the Savills Chase, he acknowledges a 23-length deficit is a huge gap to bridge.

“Gerri Colombe is in good form. I think Galopin Des Champs has been awesome this year, I don’t know how we’re going to beat him, but I think we’re better than we were in Leopardstown the last day,” he said.

“For me he didn’t run his race in the Savills. He wouldn’t have been second I don’t think with another 100 yards.

“We’ve always counted him as a bit of a mud lover, but I think the better the ground, the better the chance he’ll have.

“He really stays, he’s not flashy and doesn’t do anything fancy, but he looks great and we’ve been training him for one day.”

The Cullentra handler is preparing to fire a twin assault at the Ryanair Chase, with both Conflated and Fil Dor set to line up.

Conflated was third in the Gold Cup last season, but having unseated Jack Kennedy at the final fence in both the Savills Chase and the Irish Gold Cup this winter, he is set to drop back in distance.

Fil Dor, on the other hand, will step up in trip having finished second behind Dinoblue and star two-miler El Fabiolo in his last two races.

The latter will carry the colours of Robcour for the first time at Cheltenham after being sold to stay in the yard for €620,000 as part of Andy and Gemma Brown’s recent dispersal.

Elliott said: “Conflated has unshipped his jockey the last two runs at the last, but he was actually running a good race both days.

“He’s a bit of a boyo, he’s got a big engine but there’s been a quirk in him since day one.

“Fil Dor will also go for the Ryanair. He got a fright last year in Leopardstown and he never jumped a fence after it, but his two runs this year I thought were very good.

“I think a step up in trip will suit him. He has to improve, but he’s going the right way and has an each-way chance.”

Found A Fifty will bid to give Elliott a first ever victory in the Arkle Trophy after being beaten a neck by Il Etait Temps in the Irish equivalent at the Dublin Racing Festival.

“He did nothing wrong in Leopardstown apart from getting beat. He’s maturing the whole time and I thought he was more settled than he was the time before,” Elliott added.

“There is a little kink in him, but he’s got an engine.”

Zanahiyr, third in last season’s Champion Hurdle, is set to return to Cheltenham for a first run over fences at the meeting in the Turners’ Novices’ Chase.

Elliott understandably has high hopes of landing the Glenfarclas Chase for the sixth time in eight years, with dual winner Delta Work set to be renew rivalry with last year’s runner-up Galvin and Coko Beach a potential third major contender if the ground is soft for the cross-country event.

Hopes are also high for Salvador Ziggy in the National Hunt Chase, while Riviere D’Etel is considered a “big price” by her trainer for the Mares’ Chase.

Elliott expects stable jockey Jack Kennedy to side with over stablemate should the pair clash in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

The former was beaten just three-quarters of a length into third place in the Grade One feature 12 months ago, with his widely unconsidered stable companion Sire Du Berlais springing a surprise.

Teahupoo has run just once so far this term, getting the better of Impaire Et Passe when winning his second Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in early December.

Elliott has elected to keep his powder dry for the seven-year-old’s return to the Cotswolds since and is optimistic about his chances.

“He’s in good form, we’re very happy with him. We’ve come straight from the Hatton’s Grace and I’d be shocked if Jack doesn’t ride him to be honest,” he said at a press morning at his County Meath yard.

“He’s a proven stayer and we’ve minded him for the race. I’d imagine we’ll go here and then we’ll maybe go to France with him.

“He handled the ground in Cheltenham last year and I don’t think it’s going to be any quicker.”

There is little to choose between Teahupoo and Irish Point at the top of the Stayers’ Hurdle betting, with the latter having advertised his claims with a dominant display on his first start over three miles in Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle.

Irish Point also has the option of dropping right back to two miles in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, but conditions would need to be testing for that scenario to unfold.

Elliott added: “If the ground came up very soft, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that I’ll run him in the Champion Hurdle. At the moment I suppose the Stayers’ is where he’s going, but we’ll leave it until the last minute.

“I think the better the ground, the better the chance Irish Point will have (in the Stayers’ Hurdle). I don’t think the trip will be a problem.

“Whatever Jack doesn’t ride, Jordan (Gainford) or Sam (Ewing) will ride the other.”

The Cullentra handler could saddle four runners in the Stayers’ Hurdle, with Sire Du Berlais and Beacon Edge also in the mix.

The defending champion was well beaten on his first start in 10 months in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan recently, but given he is also a dual winner of the Pertemps Final at the Festival, Elliott feels it would be dangerous to leave him out of calculations.

“Sire Du Berlais worked very well on Saturday, he likes it when the sun comes out and seems to like Cheltenham,” he said.

“We only have to ride him out and swim him twice a day. He’s been the horse a lifetime, to be honest.”

Elliott’s biggest hope in the novice division this season is Brighterdaysahead, who will put her unbeaten record on the line in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The Gigginstown House Stud-owned five-year-old has added to her bumper triumphs with a hat-trick of wins over obstacles and the trainer clearly holds her in the highest esteem.

He said: “She does her own talking, we think she’s very good. Shane McCann rides her every day, he’s as good a judge as we have and he says she could be as good as we’ve had here.

“I’m not worried about the trip, she’s going the right way, she knows how to win and she’s got a good attitude. She’s not flashy, but we like what she does and she pleases the whole time.

“She’s got a great chance.”

Having beaten star novice Ballyburn on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse, Firefox disappointed when stepped up to Grade One level at Naas earlier in the new year, but Elliott is optimistic he can show his true colours in the curtain-raising Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park.

He added: “He wasn’t right after Naas and we worked him there a couple of weeks ago and he got a bit tired. I hadn’t worked him in five weeks, but he worked very well the other day in Fairyhouse.

“He has a couple more bits of work to do, but he’s a very good horse and he’s not without a chance in the Supreme Novice – we’ve gone close with lesser horses.”

My Trump Card, a horse with a “massive engine” according to Elliott, looks set to carry the stable’s hopes in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, while the trainer’s runners in the Festival’s handicap hurdles are always worth consideration.

Better Days Ahead, Hollow Games and Jigoro are among those nominated as likely players in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle, Cleatus Poolaw looks a serious contender for Pertemps Final and Ndaawi and the unbeaten Wodhooh give Elliott a strong hand in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

It is a similar story in the County Hurdle, with high-class novice King Of Kingsfield and last year’s narrowly beaten runner-up Pied Piper expected to go well.

Of the latter, put forward by assistant trainer Lisa O’Neill as her nap of the meeting, Elliott said: “He will go for the County Hurdle. He was unlucky in the race last year and probably could have nearly won it with a clear run.

“He’s in good form, I would imagine we’ll take 5lb off with Danny Gilligan riding him.”