County Meath handler Gordon Elliott is readying a strong party for the Punchestown Festival as he attempts to be crowned Ireland’s champion jumps trainer for the first time.
The stellar meeting takes places from Tuesday April 25 to Saturday April 29 and Elliott has prepared a sizeable and powerful battalion which look set to plunder riches at the meeting.
Elliott currently leads Willie Mullins, a winner of Ireland’s trainers title 10 times, by over €350,000 and he will aim to reinforce that lead at the meeting, which is invariably one of the last major meetings of the jumps season in both Britain and Ireland. The title is decided on the final day of the meeting, Saturday, April 29, highlighting just how important Punchestown will be in deciding the winner.
Elliott, who saddled Cause Of Causes to finish second in Saturday’s Randox Health Grand National, looks set to rely on a host of Cheltenham Festival winners at the meeting.
OLBG Mares’ Hurdle winner Apple’s Jade, Supreme Novices’ scorer Labaik and Champion Bumper victor Fayonagh all look set to take part.
Regarding Apple’s Jade, who also won at this year’s meeting in the 4YO Hurdle when in the care of Willie Mullins, Elliott commented:
We were delighted with her at Cheltenham – she’s so tough and brave. We decided to miss Aintree and go straight to Punchestown and she’s in really great form at home.
She has come out of Cheltenham very well and I have put her in everything at Punchestown. We’ll have a look through the races and decide nearer the time what she goes for. But I’m really looking forward to running her.
Death Duty, who disappointed in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham also looks set to get his career back on track. Elliott continued:
It was disappointing with Death Duty at Cheltenham. We’ve always thought a lot of him and he came back from that race light. He’s in much better form and the plan is to go to Punchestown all being well.
