Straight to the horse’s mouth...
GORDON Ell i ott is happy to let Delta Work clash with his new stable companion Presenting Percy in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal.
Delta Work finished a disappointing fourth in the first Grade One of the Irish National Hunt season last term, but raised his game to complete a top-level double with victories in the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown.
The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding rounded off his campaign by finishing fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Elliott hopes he can find the necessary improvement to go even closer in the blue riband next March.
‘To be only be beaten six lengths in the Gold Cup, with the way he jumped, I thought was very good,’ said the Cullentra handler. ‘He’s only seven, so he’s still a young horse – and I haven’t given up on him yet.
‘If his jumping brushes up, he’s in the mix.’
Presenting Percy – the winner of the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in 2018 – has since joined Elliott from Pat Kelly’s yard.
Elliott will train him for the Gold Cup, but also views him as a live Grand National hope.
‘Presenting Percy is a horse I’ve always looked up to and said, “he’s a horse you’d love to have”. I’m very lucky to have him,’ he added. ‘To me, he has Grand National written all over him. He’s a good jumper who has a bit of class.’
Elliott (above) already houses a dual National winner in Tiger Roll. The 10-year-old holds an entry on the Flat at Navan on Thursday, but appears unlikely to take up the engagement. Elliott said: ‘I stuck him in just to keep my options open, but I don’t know if I’ll run him.
‘If the ground is good up in Down Royal I’d run him in the big race (Ladbrokes Champion Chase) there as well – if not I might keep him for the Boyne Hurdle in Navan.
‘He’s in great form, and has been the horse of a lifetime.
‘If everything goes well, we’ll dream about going back to Aintree this season.’
Three other Elliott stars set to reappear at Down Royal are Envoi Allen, Abacadabras and Samcro. When asked what his one wish would be for the 2020/21 National Hunt season, Elliott did not hesitate in saying: ‘To be champion trainer.’