Elvis delivers on his big promise
Five- year- old looks serious prospect
Elvis left the building on Saturday a star in the making and with a little bit of tender love could return to the stage that is Ayr Racecourse in April set for the big time.
The Elvis I’m talking about is the Nick Alexander trained Elvis Mail, a five year- old gelding who contested his first handicap on Saturday in Ayr’s feature race – the £ 30,000 Tennent’s Cup Scottish Champion Hurdle Trial and with everything against him he won comfortably.
His trainer admitted the ground wasn’t ideal and that the horse had missed a month’s work in August so to see him win so easily underlines that he is a seriously good horse.
Nick’s daughter Lucy was in the saddle and she raced Elvis wide throughout to avoid the worst of the ground but she didn’t have to break sweat as he motored into the race two out and strode away to finish three and half lengths clear of the 142 rated Leoncavallo.
Now I realise Elvis was in receipt of 10lbs from the Dr Richard Newland trained horse but in my book this was a class performance.
He’s been off the track for almost seven months so will be a lot better for this race and I just hope that Nick does bring him back as a six year- old to Ayr next April for a tilt at the Scottish Champion Hurdle itself.
Just reflect on the words of his trainer and I think you’ll agree there is a lot more to come from this likeable young horse.
Nick said: “This race had been the plan for some time, however, because he missed August and was only able to walk at home for the most of September I felt his chance was significantly diminished.
“The heavy rain then fuelled my doubts and even an hour before the race I was out on the track digging my heel in wondering what on earth to do pondering whether to let one of our best young horses take his chance in the toughest race of his life when I doubted his fitness and whether he would handle the ground.
“Thankfully we took the decision to run and I hatched a plan with Lucy to avoid the worst of the ground which she then executed to perfection.”
Given that he wants good ground or good to soft it may be that it will the early spring before we see Elvis Mail again and it will be a case of whether is aimed at Cheltenham, Aintree or the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr.
But trust me wherever he runs next and further into the future this Elvis will leave the opposition all shook up.