Staying star Teahupoo preparing for Hatton’s Grace defence

Gordon Elliott is happy to stick with a winning formula when it comes to preparing Teahupoo for the defence of his major titles this term.

The seven-year-old has kicked off his last two campaigns by claiming back-to-back victories in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and is set to head to Fairyhouse at the start of December once again.

Last season, he went on to secure an impressive success in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham before also proving a class apart in the same division at Punchestown.

Teahupoo was the star of the show at a press morning at Cullentra House ahead of the Bar One Fairyhouse Winter Festival and it is all systems go in terms of bidding for a repeat Grade One treble.

Elliott said: “He’s in great form. He’s not fancy at home, he just does what he has to do.

“We’ve got it in our heads to do the same thing as last year and go down the same route with him – Fairyhouse, Cheltenham and back to Punchestown.”

Stablemate Brighterdaysahead is already up and running after a smooth success at Down Royal and has several options open to her ahead of ultimately seeking Mares’ Hurdle glory at Cheltenham.

There was a temptation to go over fences following her top-tier novice hurdle victory at Aintree, but owner Michael O’Leary was keen to keep his exciting charge over the smaller obstacles.

“She’s in the Morgiana (Punchestown, November 23), she’s in the Hatton’s Grace, but there’s no decision been made about where she’s going to go yet – I’ll have a chat with the lads this week but she’s come out of Down Royal really well and we’re looking forward to getting her out soon,” said Elliott.

“We toyed with going chasing but Michael wanted to stay hurdling, so that was the final decision. She’s only five and she’s got a lot years in front of her, so I’m not disappointed. We’ve a lot of novice chasers this year.”

As for her preferred distance, the trainer added: “Good horses win over any trip, so going over two or three (miles) wouldn’t bother me.”

Elliott has made an excellent start to the season but one of his few setbacks came when Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up and Aintree Bowl winner Gerri Colombe was well beaten in third in Down Royal’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase.

“He seems to be fine,” reported Elliott. “I was disappointed with him, to be honest. For me, he was beaten after a couple of fences, he never really looked like he travelled or jumped.

“We’ll probably go for the Savills now, we’ll keep going the route we wanted to go, but he didn’t run his race, he didn’t finish it out, for me.

“The one thing he does, he always gives you everything, but I thought the writing was on the wall very early on at Down Royal. But that’s the game we’re in, we found a couple of things and we’ll iron them out.”

Success on home soil is obviously always important to Elliott, but it is clear Cheltenham Festival glory is what he craves the most.

“Cheltenham is Cheltenham and when you buy a horse, that’s where you are looking to be going. You’re hoping as many of them turn up there as you can,” he declared.

“People talk about should Cheltenham go to five days, or six days, well if Cheltenham was over 10 days, I’d be there 10 days in a row, there’s no doubt about that.”