Gordon Elliott reveals plans for his established stars and exciting prospects at Cullentra House Stables.
The much-coveted Irish trainers' title remains out of his grasp due to the unprecedented firepower amassed by Willie Mullins, who remarkably also holds the British championship, but Gordon Elliott continues to send out the winners at an impressive rate.
Elliott saddled 207 winners in Ireland last year, falling just shy of his record total of 210 posted in 2017-18. His prize money haul of €4,744,705 was also his second highest in Ireland, again behind only his total from 2017-18.
Elliott also picked up £1.6 million in prize-money in Britain, the most he has earned from across the Irish Sea in a single campaign.
Three Cheltenham Festival winners helped contribute to that tally, while the trainer also enjoyed a lucrative time at Aintree where Gerri Colombe, one of his stable stars, was successful in the Bowl.
Brighterdaysahead also won at Aintree, making amends for an odds-on defeat at the Cheltenham Festival, and she remains a hugely exciting prospect for a stable that continues to attract a strong supply of new talent.
American Mike
American Mike did his usual and worked very well at Navan on Thursday. You'd be excited looking at the way he worked but he's a bit disappointing given he shows us the world. We get a good win or two out of him every year and if he does the same again we'll be happy but he doesn't always run like he works.
Better Days Ahead
We could keep him over hurdles or go chasing but at the moment I'd say we'll go chasing. He could make a good staying chaser, he's got a lot stronger. He's another one to look forward to; he's a high-class horse and a Cheltenham Festival winner. Good horses come out of that race, the Martin Pipe.
Bleu de Vassy
Very nice horse. He won well at Fairyhouse over hurdles two weeks ago. I'd imagine we might go to Navan for a graded hurdle.
Brighterdaysahead
We're really looking forward to this year. She worked at Navan on Wednesday and we were very happy with her. The decision has been made and we are going to stay hurdling - she's only five years of age. The plan is to go to Down Royal for the second-season race and hopefully the sky is the limit.
Classical Creek
He won his point-to-point very well. He's fairly forward and I'd imagine will start off in a bumper in a couple of weeks.
Conflated
He's in good form. I was half-thinking of going the cross-country route with him but with it being a handicap now it might not be as straightforward. I'd imagine we'll probably go to Down Royal for the Grade 1 and see where we are after that.
Croke Park
He kind of tapered off a bit last season after winning a Grade 3 at Navan well - he got a bit weak and light. But he looks strong this year and worked well on Thursday morning. He'll go novice chasing and will be ready to start in the next couple weeks all being well. I'd say he'll want two and a half miles plus and could probably end up being a three-miler.
Delta Work
He's in good form and worked at Navan on Thursday morning. I'll see how Down Royal looks and if it cuts up we might give him a go at it [the Champion Chase]. He was second in the English National last season.
There are a lot of changes at Cheltenham I'm not surprised with and think might be the right thing for different reasons, but I think changing the Cross Country to a handicap is very disappointing. This race was becoming one people really loved watching, and this year it was supposed to have Minella Indo, Galvin and Delta Work, all Grade 1 winners.
For Delta Work it will be all systems back to the English National, but which road we go I'm not sure.
Farren Glory
He could be a good horse - he won the Royal Bond last year. We might start him off over fences at Wexford on Monday over two miles. We had him in at Galway but I just thought that two miles and six furlongs could take a bit out of him first time out around Galway up the hill. Wexford will be a nice starting point.
Firefox
I think he could be very good this year. If you looked at him last season he looked like a chaser with the way he was jumping his hurdles. He's schooled well at home and all being well he'll start off at Down Royal over two miles and three furlongs. I'll be disappointed if he's not a top novice chaser.
Found A Fifty
He finished up winning at Aintree after he had just been touched off a couple of times in Grade 1s. He's probably not going to be the easiest horse to place this season, but I'd imagine we'd start him off in the second-season novice in Down Royal. He could go anywhere from two to two and a half miles, I'm not sure if he's really a three-miler. It's probably a tough enough division but I'm dreaming he's going to end up a Ryanair horse.
Gerri Colombe
He's in very good form, he worked well here [at Navan] after racing on Wednesday. We've spoken to them at Down Royal and if the ground isn't yielding we won't be running. We've given them ten or 12 days' notice to get the watering can out and make sure the ground is safe for all these horses. As much as we love going to these racecourses, if they don't produce the ground it will be disappointing. If it's not right we won't take a chance.
He's got strong, I think he's definitely a stronger horse. He needs to improve four or five lengths to beat Galopin des Champs but he had a good run back there last year and it's all systems back to Cheltenham again.
He Can't Dance
He's a nice horse who won a point-to-point for Rob James. He probably needs a little softer ground but he's not a million miles off starting out.
Irish Point
Irish Point is out for the season after he had a little setback. There's never a good time for that to happen but if it has to happen it's better to be at the start of the season so he's back for next season.
Jacob's Ladder
He came out of a point-to-point for the Buchanans. He had a good run at Punchestown last spring and just got beat a short-head in a bumper. He looks a nice forward horse and will be ready to go early in a bumper.
Jalon d'Oudairies
He was placed in the Cheltenham bumper. He pulled a muscle so won't be out as early as the rest of them, it could be around another month before I run him. He might be more of a stayer than a two-miler but is a nice horse and shows a lot of class.
King of Kingsfield
He's been a disappointing horse. He was only just beaten in a Grade 1 last year and on his homework you'd say he was Arkle, but unfortunately he doesn't put that on the track. He was schooled very well over fences as a young horse and is one I'd be looking forward to going chasing with. I thought I'd get him out earlier but he's had a little setback. He could run in a couple of weeks.
Kish Bank
He won a point-to-point and a bumper last year. He qualifies for the auction series so I'd imagine he'll go that route. There's good prize-money for that and it finishes up at the Punchestown Festival.
Lakota Blue
He won a Flat race in France and will probably go to Down Royal. I think there's plenty of improvement in him and we'll see where he ends up.
Maxxum
He's fairly highly rated now over hurdles. We'll keep him for races like the Boyne Hurdle and pot-hunt with him. He's a classy horse on his day.
My Trump Card
A few shrewd people fancied him for the Albert Bartlett the way he stays but he got a little setback and I didn't get to run him and I put him away for the rest of the season. He looks like he could be a big staying chaser but we'll be waiting for soft ground. He loves proper soft ground.
Riaan
He was second at Leopardstown in a big race, where he ran a very good race, and then we kept him for Cheltenham where he was travelling very well but almost fell four out. I couldn't have been happier with how he was travelling but where he was going to finish is hard to tell. He pulled a few muscles the same day and we didn't get him out for the rest of the season. He could have an entry in the Troytown and if the ground didn't come up soft we could give him a go. Three miles is as far as he probably wants.
Romeo Coolio
He's a good horse and he just wasn't right at Punchestown at the end of the season. He jumps very well at home and all being well we'll start him off at Down Royal. We could start him over two miles or two miles and six furlongs but no decision has been made yet. He could be top class over hurdles. He's going to be graded level and whether it's Grade 1, 2 or 3 time will tell.
Sa Fureur
He's probably better in over hurdles than over fences but in fairness to him he had a good run at Cheltenham in the Grand Annual. He missed the start a bit but came home strongly. We'll train him for those kind of races again. A fast-run two miles will be okay but we could step him up to two and a half or two miles and six.
Sermandzarak
He won the Goffs Defender well at Punchestown and I was very happy with him but I thought he would have got a bit stronger over the summer. He's still a light-framed horse, maybe that's the way he's always going to be. He's cantering away and his work looks good but I'd like to see him a bit stronger so we might take our time with him. He's still a big, weak horse and is growing like mad.
Stellar Story
A Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winner last season and is in good form. He's not a quick horse, but he's a big, galloping horse and jumps really well. He'll probably start off between two to two and a half miles and could be a top staying novice chaser. If you asked me at the start of last season I'd have said he'll probably be a good handicapper rather than a Grade 1 horse, and I'm probably going to say the same again. But obviously he's a horse who keeps his better work for the track. We'll start off small and see how we go.
Swing Davis
Nice horse. He came from the point-to-point field and we'll probably start in a bumper in the coming weeks. He should be well up to winning a bumper.
Teahupoo
He came back from Robbie Power's about two weeks ago and he looks great. Physically, he's probably not the prettiest horse in the world, but he looks well and is carrying a bit of condition so we're very happy with him. We're going to go the same route as last year to the Hatton's Grace and back to Cheltenham and hopefully Punchestown.
Theflyingking
He's a nice horse that won a point-to-point at Loughanmore. He's working well at home so he'll probably start off as soon as we get a bit of soft ground. He's one we're really looking forward to.
The Enabler
He's a grand, big staying horse. He got beat at Galway first time but he's going to come on a lot for that run. We start a few of them off early just from the point of view that you need to get so many runs into them to qualify for handicaps at Cheltenham. It wouldn't shock me if he ended up being a Martin Pipe horse down the road. He'll come on for his run at Galway and will be in those two-and-a-half-mile plus maiden hurdles and I'd imagine will take a lot of beating.
The Yellow Clay
Very good horse and if someone else had him they could be going down the Flat route with him. He's a classy horse - I wouldn't be shocked if you saw him on the Flat at some stage - his work is very good and, touch wood, he's jumping well at home. He could start off at Down Royal, he's quick enough for two miles but two and a half or two-six won't be a problem either, he's just a good horse.
Whinney Hill
Was second first time out in a bumper for us. He will come on plenty for it and is one we're looking forward to going back for another bumper.
Wingmen
He's a good horse. He's not easy and last season in his bumpers he was very keen and ran around a good bit but I thought his performance at Punchestown was very good to do what he did from the front. He jumps well, is a lot more settled now and will maybe start off at Down Royal or Navan in a two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle. I'd say he's got a massive engine but is not straightforward.
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