GORDON ELLIOTT HAD a day to remember at Navan as he trained the winning horse in an incredible seven of the eight races on the card.
Willie Mullins’ Whatdeawant claimed division one of the Kilberry Pub & Kitchen Maiden Hurdle, after which the Elliott onslaught began as he took every remaining contest of the day.
Enjoying three winners over hurdles, three over fences and one in a bumper, Elliott’s achievement was made all the more special as Navan is the track closest to his County Meath stable.
“It’s been an unbelievable day – to get seven winners at one track and at Navan as well, my local track,” he said.
The Goffer ✅
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) December 4, 2021
Ginto ✅
Commander of Fleet ✅
Riviere D'etel ✅
Farouk D'alene ✅
Conflated ✅
Itswhatunitesus ✅
A 7⃣-timer for @gelliott_racing on a day he and his team won't forget at @NavanRacecourse 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Hn4B9mfDNq
“I don’t know if it’s been done before in Ireland, but to train seven winners is unbelievable and we’ll never forget it.
“This is special after the year we’ve had, it just shows what it means to the staff and all my owners and friends.
“You see the likes of Noel Meade clapping you in, they are your proper friends, I can’t believe it.
“We’re back doing what we love doing.”
The Goffer took division two of the maiden hurdle, striking at 10-1 under Jody McGarvey to triumph by eight lengths.
Ginto then became two from two over hurdles after a runaway success in the Grade Two Navan Novice Hurdle in the hands of Jamie Codd.
Starting as the 11-8 favourite from a field of five runners, the five-year-old ran prominently through the two-and-a-half-mile contest and took up the lead over the third from home.
From there the gelding was comfortably able to pull away, striding clear of the Joseph O’Brien-trained Eric Bloodaxe to register an impressive 11-length victory.
“That was great, he’s the horse we thought he was,” Elliott said.
“He’s a big galloper. From the second-last to the line is what I loved today, he just galloped. He’s a good horse.”
Ginto could now head for the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, a Grade One event run over the same trip in January.
“He’ll get an entry for the race at Naas and we’ll see,” said Elliott.
“We’ll have a chat with (owners) Noel and Valerie (Moran) and see what they want to do.
“He’s a chaser in the making.”
Betfair slashed the winner in price to 12-1 from 25-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Codd was replacing the injured Davy Russell, with Elliott adding: “He just sprained his wrist and he’ll be all right.”
