Super six-timer sparks Monday celebrations for Elliott

Gordon Elliott put his difficult Cheltenham week behind him and celebrated St Patrick’s Day with an across-the-card six-timer at Down Royal and Wexford.

Elliott had to wait until the final race of the Festival to get off the mark when Wodhooh was successful in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

He had no such trouble at Wexford though, as Speculatrix (11-4) was his first winner of the day in the Wexford Mares Maiden Hurdle under Jordan Gainford.

Assistant trainer Ian “Busty” Almond said: “Speculatrix was unlucky a couple of days where she had races won and ended up on the ground. She jumped well today and has just been unlucky.”

With Jack Kennedy taking some time to recuperate having rushed back for Cheltenham, Danny Gilligan, who enjoyed a Cheltenham double on Wodhooh and Jazzy Matty, was the beneficiary.

Timmy Tuesday (9-4 favourite) was a relatively easy winner of the Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series At Punchestown Festival 2025 Qualifier Novice Handicap Hurdle at Down Royal.

“Timmy Tuesday has a little bit of a mind of his own but put his best foot forward today and didn’t do a whole pile wrong. He had plenty of weight on his back, but he put in a lovely round of jumping,” said Gilligan, who quickly doubled up on Cher Tara (7-1) in the Powered By Bluegrass Handicap Hurdle.

Favori De Champdou (5-6 favourite) then proved a class apart in the feature Bluegrass Stamm 30 Chase, beating stablemate Jumping Jet.

“Hopefully he’ll go back into the bigger handicaps now and, with a bit of luck, should pick up one or two of them,” said Gilligan of the winner.

The jockey then  made it four on the day for himself with Elliott’s Lightkeeper (3-1) in the Bluegrass Horse Feed Rated Novice Chase.

The trainer’s final winner came in the Wexford bumper when 6-5 favourite Theflyingking just held off Thedeviluno in the hands of Harry Swan.