Gordon Elliott Horse Trainer Profile Series (Cheltenham 2019)

Gordon Elliott started his riding career at the age of 16, riding an impressive 46 winners which included King’s Road in 1998 in the Punchestown bumper for Nigel Twiston Davies before hanging up his boots in 2005. 

Training horses were always the next step and in 2006 he started out. He didn’t have to wait long before his first big success which came at the legendary Aintree Grand National in 2007 with Silver Birch (think I actually backed the beauty). 

Don Cossack (pictured) gave him one of his biggest wins to date by winning the 2016 Gold Cup under a great ride from jockey Bryan Cooper at odds of 9/4, powering away and winning by four and a half lengths from the Mullins trained Djakadam and the great Ruby Walsh. Gordon has trained 14 Cheltenham winners and was leading trainer in 2017 which leads me nicely to my next paragraph. 

Trainers for courses, yes I found another one so let's take a closer look at the stats. The last two years have been profitable ones for Gordon and in 2017 he had 4 wins from 12 runners with a 33.3 per cent strike rate and a huge 462.5 win per cent return at starting price on all races run on good to soft or soft going. 

Labaik winning the Supreme Novices Hurdle at odds of 25/1 on the first day was a great start for the Irish trainer with J W Kennedy on board followed by the machine Apples Jade taking the OLBG mares hurdle at 7/2 and finishing off with a huge treble Tiger Roll taking The National Hunt Challenge at 16/1 and also giving owners Gigginstown House Stud a great double on the first day and a memorable first day for Gordon Elliott.

Just the one winner the second day at Cheltenham when Fayonagh took the lucky last at odds of 7/1 in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper flat race with a great ride from Mr J J Codd. 

Onto 2018 when Gordon more than doubled his entries but still an impressive strike rate again with 8 winners from 29 runners with a 27.6 per cent strike rate and a 288.7 per cent return at starting price which is nothing to be sniffed at.

Drawing a blank on the first day before Macro at skinny odds of 8/11 taking the opening race the Ballymore Novices Hurdle and the top class Tiger Roll winning the Cross Country Chase at 7/1 and that wasn't the end with Veneer of Charm taking the Fred Winter at another huge price of 33/1 for J W Kennedy taking the reins this time and bringing up another huge treble for the second year. 

Another double on the third day with Shattered Love taking the first race the JLT Novices Chase at 4/1 and The StoryTeller at 5/1 making it another great day for the Irish fans and of course the last day was more of the same as Gordon finished off a great meeting with another double as Farclas took the Triumph Hurdle which was the first race again( seems to target these first races of the day)at 9/1 and Blow By Blow taking the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at another decent price at 11/1 making it another great Cheltenham. 

I hope it continues this year and will be keeping a close eye on whatever this great Irish trainer. 

Good luck everyone and look out for my next Trainer profile.