Gordon Elliott – Tuesday Runners At Punchestown

Gold Cup winning trainer Gordon Elliott joins us to provide the lowdown on his runners on the first day of the Punchestown Festival, including an entry in the BoyleSports Champion Chase at 5.30.

4.20 Tuesday
Ball d’Arc looks like he has it all to do in the Champion Novice Hurdle, it’s a competitive race. If we get into the prize money we’ll be very happy. Maybe it’s the best time to be taking on Yorkhill who was very hard on himself the last time out, but he still looks the horse to beat.

4.55 Tuesday
Automated had a good run at Aintree last time where he enjoyed the drying out ground. Jack Kennedy claims 3lbs and with a bit of luck he won’t be too far away. Tempo Mac runs in the same race and he has been working well at home. When you look at the ground he may have an each way chance.

5.30 Tuesday – BoyleSports Champion Chase
Clarcam runs in what is a very competitive race and it looks like he’ll have it all to do. There’s very good prize money on offer so we have to take our chance, however if he finished 3rd or 4th I’d have to admit it would be a very good run. Vautour fell at Aintree last time out but it shouldn’t be a worry, he is definitely the class act in the race.

6.05 Tuesday
I have two horses in the bumper on Tuesday in a race I won last year with Petit Mouchoir. Hardline is a very speedy horse and will appreciate the ground, Brelade would be more of a stayer for the future. But they are two nice horses and it’s very hard to separate them.

6.40 Tuesday
Noble Endeavor won’t mind the ground and this is a good race where I think he stands a good each way chance. He fell at Cheltenham and Jamie Codd who rode him that day said he wasn’t finished with when he went down, so I think he would’ve finished in the top 3 at least. It would be a nice race to win having won it before with Mount Ben Bulben.