Gordon Elliott trained a welcome winner when Three Stripe Life took the Grade One Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle.
The trainer has found them hard to come by since Cheltenham and endured the frustration of seeing Pied Piper demoted by the stewards after dead-heating with Knight's Salute here earlier in the week.
However there was never any danger of this 5/2 favourite being beaten after he sauntered to the front at the second last. Soon clear, he ran on strongly to score by four-and-three-quarter lengths from Might I with North Lodge a running-on third.
"We've been hitting the crossbar all week, the horses have been running well all week, but that's the game. This is great for the whole team. He jumped brilliantly and was bought to be a chaser and that's exactly what he is. He'll do that next season," said the winning trainer.
“He’s bumped into Sir Gerhard a couple of times, who is a very good horse, and he’s done little wrong all year. It’s nice for him to get his day in the sun and Kenny and Laura Haughey (owners) are here, they are good supporters of ours so it’s great.
Russell added: “These colours are very, very important to me, Kenny Haughey is a huge supporter of our yard. He’s been very patient with this horse and we’re so happy he’s delivered for Kenny.”
Of Might I, trainer Harry Fry said: “He went to Sandown and started favourite giving 3lb to Constitution Hill. He then ran into Jonbon at Haydock and with a rating of 135 we couldn’t get him to Cheltenham.
“I feel I’ve made a bit of a mess of it winning just one novice with him, but now that he settles he will get further. So we will keep him over hurdles and aim at some nice staying prizes including a three mile handicap at Haydock in November.”
Sadly the race was marred by the death of Elle Est Belle who collapsed shortly after crossing the line.
