Horse Week: A day to remember at Down Royal for trainer Gordon Elliott

The winner was tracked by Daddy Long Legs for most of the race but when the taps were turned on the latter faded allowing the winner’s stable mate 1-2 for the trainer while the winner despite a sloppy jump at the last soon quickened away again as King Of Kingfield formerly trained locally allowing the latter to stay on for second but never threatened the victor.

Ewing said: “So far, So Good. I jumped off beside Paul’s horse (Daddy Long Legs) and was happy to just let her roll along. She produced plenty when I asked her in the closing stages.”

Elliott added: “I’m delighted with her. I told Sam not to let Paul turn it into a sprint finish. I have the Champion Hurdle in mind at the back of my head for her as I still think she’s that class and don’t think she would be out of place in that race.”

Firefox was the impressive winner of the Beginners Chase the big powerful horse still pulling hard at the top of the hill having had runner up Mossy Fern Park for company for most of the contest.

A definite star of the future, Elliott said: “I couldn’t be happier. I think he’s a real two miler and Sam ( Ewing) is taking every chance he gets. We’ll talk to connections where next. I’m very lucky to have the bunch of jockeys available to me.”

Racing got underway with an impressive display from The Yellow Clay trained by Elliott who each year uses the festival as a stepping stone for many of his potential future stars.

The winner partnered by local jockey Ewing with stable jockey Jack Kennedy serving a lengthy ban went head to head with local horse Augusta George for the early stages prior to asserting and cruising downhill for a facile win.

Elliott said: “He never came out of a hack. He's a nice horse and I'd say you could bring him back in trip. I'd say anything from two to two and a-half miles is what he really wants.

“I thought he jumped well in all, in fairness. We could look at Navan and the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle on November 17 – the connections own the Bective Stud are from Navan, so they will be keen to have runners there.

“We definitely could be looking at that.”

The quartet of winners for the Cullentra team was completed in style when Jacob’s Ladder and Harry Swan aboard was still pulling hard at the top of Gravel Hill before stretching clear and leaving rivals floundering.

Elliott said: “He's not really a bumper horse and he'll go jumping hurdles. I'm glad to see him doing that because I think we have a lot of nice horses at home.”

The three mile handicap hurdle provided a local victory with the winner Paddy’s Milestone trained at Larne by Stuart Crawford and stable amateur Stephen Connor in the saddle.

The local horse was mid division until improving and leading before the last to record a snug success.

Crawford said: “I’m delighted. He was probably very unlucky here when JJ (Slevin) rode him back on St Patrick's Day. He didn’t get any luck in-running in a big-field handicap at Punchestown.

“He has freshened up well and has strengthened up great over the summer. Stephen gave him what I thought was a really, really good ride there. I'd say the step up in trip suited him, definitely on that better ground it did. He went the shortest way and got a few gaps here and there when he needed them. It is a local syndicate that own him and to win here means the world to them. If there is something back here on Boxing Day, we would probably aim at that.”

Sansrisk trained by Philip Dempsey with Donagh Meyler aboard landed one of the first day features the Grade 3 Mares Novice Hurdle. The winner sat behind the front running Royal Hollow which attempted to make all. The winner travelled strongly on the downhill run before leading at the last and quickly asserting.

Dempsey said: “I’m delighted after she made a mistake at the penultimate flight. She a spring mare and we’ll avoid winter ground.”

Favourite Savante dropped to last at an early stage and was never a factor.

Ewing appeared to have ridden the perfect race aboard Someone’s Wish in the handicap chase waiting patiently mid division and jumping well until Tuckmill with Jake Cohen aboard swooped late in the last 50 yards from the rear to score in the handicap chase.

Cohen said: “I thought my chance had gone two out but he was very tough at the finish.”