IT WAS A record-breaking day for trainer Gordon Elliott as he claimed a clean sweep of Grade One wins at Fairyhouse.
With jockey Davy Russell on board, Death Duty stormed to victory in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase, making Eliott the first trainer in history to collect all three Grade Ones on offer on the day.
Speaking after Death Duty’s victory, a delighted Eliott told At The Races:
“It’ll be quiet enough tonight I’d say,” he laughed.
“This is what it’s all about. To train three Grade One winners in one day is unbelievable, it’s something you dream about. Fairyhouse is one of my local tracks and it seems to be lucky for me.
“It’s great, (I’m) delighted. The lads are here, my father is here, everyone is here so they’ll be all delighted.”
He added:
“I might have been getting it wrong with him last year saying he needed three miles. Davy said there today (that) he has loads of speed. He’s won another Grade One for us, we’ll enjoy today and see what happens.”
“He wouldn’t be an Arkle horse, more JLT but to be fair he went to Cheltenham last year, he got very light over there. Probably being a little bit naive and anxious and keen, I probably shouldn’t have ran the horse last year because he wasn’t right after the race. Even before it he looked very bad but thankfully the horse came back and showed how good he is today.”
Eliott’s other victories came via Apple’s Jade who took the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, and Mengli Khan who prevailed in the the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle shortly after.
Jack Kennedy steered both horses to victory to complete the clean sweep of Grade One triumphs for Eliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
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