One set of statistics that don’t lie going into this weekend’s action is Gordon Elliott’s red-hot form and the local trainer could again be the one to beat at Navan on Sunday.
A run of 29 winners in Ireland in the last three weeks has seen him sweep past the century mark and top the trainers’ table on over €2.3 million. His strike rate is running at a sparkling 27 per cent.
It includes four winners at the big day of Fairyhouse’s Winter Festival including both Grade One races. That got followed by another Sunday four-timer last weekend which paid odds of 259/1.
Navan’s programme is comparatively underwhelming but a midweek winner at lowly Hexham underlined Elliott’s appetite for any kind of winner anywhere.
RM Block
It does conclude though with the Listed Future Champions Bumper in which Elliott is always capable of unleashing a future top horse.
He has won the race eight times in the last nine years including with Samcro (2016), Envoi Allen (2018) and Sire Gerhard in 2020.
This time Elliott has two of the five runners, both owned by Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud and both looking to possess considerable potential.
The same can be said for the three other runners including the surprise 33/1 course winner Oh My Word and Dermot Weld’s Cork scorer Passenger.
Keep Him Company looked to win his first bumper at Fairyhouse more impressively than his stable companion Panjandrum did at Clonmel and might be the best Elliott option.
The rest of Sunday’s card looks mostly humdrum although it could be interesting to see how Petit King builds on his first start of the season in the second handicap hurdle.
Considering his form tailed off last term it was an encouraging effort by Petit King when fourth to Balko D’ange here last month. Testing ground and a step up in trip should suit too.
In other news, next year’s Betfred Epsom Derby will be worth £2 million (almost E2.3 million) as part of a raft of measures introduced by the Jockey Club that include attempts to boost attendances at British flat racing’s ‘Blue Riband.’
From an official crowd of over 53,000 when Galileo won the Derby in 2001, attendance has plummeted and reached just 22,312 this year as Aidan O’Brien landed the world-famous contest for an 11th time with Lambourn.
The £500,000 prize money increase for the Derby was accompanied by an even bigger percentage for the Coronation Cup which will be moved to the Saturday in 2026. It is to be sponsored by Coolmore and will be worth £1 million, up from £450,000.
Epsom’s authorities aiming to halt the slide in attendances at the Derby want to reach in the region of 40,000 at the first Saturday in June next year, both in paid enclosures and on the infield.
The Jockey Club plans include free admission to the main enclosure for under-18s, free parking and the installation of bleacher seats along the inside rail in the straight.
Epsom’s general manager, Jim Allen, said: “Epsom Downs is the home of the ‘original Derby’, a race which is widely regarded as the most important two and a half minutes in the racing and breeding industry, shaping pedigrees, stallion careers and bloodstock markets for generations.
“It is so important for us to be continually evolving and improving to give everyone the best possible experience across the two days.
“Ultimately, we want to deliver something that Epsom and the surrounding area, along with everyone connected with British racing, can feel truly proud of and one which is befitting of the Betfred Derby Festival’s status as a world class and prestigious event.”
