GORD HELP HIM
Trainer faces fight to save career
GORDON ELLIOTT came from nowhere to sit at the top table of horse racing.
In fact, his story is a real rags to riches tale.
The son of a panel beater with no family background in racing, he burst on to the scene in 2007 when saddling Silver Birch to win the Grand National at Aintree.
He became the youngest trainer ever to win the great race at the tender age of 29.
A former talented amateur rider, he was never destined for the professional ranks as he struggled with his weight but gleaned plenty of experience while attached to the Martin Pipe stable in Somerset.
Pipe, 15 times champion trainer, revolutionised the art of fine tuning racehorses and Elliott adopted his methods.
They have remained loyal friends and Pipe is a frequent visitor to Elliott’s Cullentra lavish training base in Co Meath, a former 150-acre dairy farm that now houses more than 200 racehorses.
Chicago Grey became the first of Elliott’s 31 Cheltenham Festival winners in 2011. Don Cossack was the most notable, landing the 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup in Michael O’leary’s silks. But as he marks his 43th birthday today, Gordon Elliott now faces the biggest challenge of his all – to save his training career.
Last night he told the Racing
Post: “It is indefensible. Whether alive or dead, the horse was entitled to dignity. A moment of madness that I am going to have to spend the rest of my life paying for.
“I will be punished, I fully understand that. When your world starts crumbling in front of you, it’s a scary place to be. I just hope people can understand how truly sorry I am and find some way to forgive me for what I have done.”
EUAN KING has finally taken on his dream job as Great Britain’s first goalie coach after a year’s wait.
The ex-peterborough, Basingstoke and Romford netminder was primed to join the national team 12 months ago but the 2020 World Championships were scrapped due to Covid. His appointment was only confirmed days ago.
King (inset) said: “I have known for a year, so it was strange to get a load of messages congratulating me in recent days.”
He will link up with GB head coach Peter Russell at a pre-championships training camp before joining the squad in Riga in May.
King, who played for GB at Under-18 and Under-20 level, said: “It’s a pretty cool accolade.
“I had seven years coaching Peterborough’s Under-18s while I was still playing but I’ve only had one full season with the senior side.
“I love coaching and to be doing it with GB is a dream job. I take it more serious than I did when I was playing.”
NEW Ice Hockey UK chairman Lord Clifton Wrottesley, the fastest man ever down the Cresta Run, has revealed his blueprint to get more people on the ice. The former Winter Olympian will have his role confirmed in April, but he has already outlined his dream for the future and one big target is to launch a fund that will throw open the sport to all, including low income families.
REFEREE Pascal Gauzere has admitted he was wrong to award Wales their two first-half tries in England’s defeat in Cardiff on Saturday.
The French official has come clean to World Rugby referees’ chief Joel Jutge that he messed up in allowing the scores for Josh Adams and Liam Williams.
“There were two unfortunate incidents during the match which were not simple to manage,” said Jutge. “I know, from having spoken to him by phone, that Pascal Gauzere recognises that himself.
“Pascal looked at the situation on Sunday morning and he is the first to admit it. When you make a mistake, it’s best to own up and be transparent. It doesn’t change the fact that he is an excellent international referee.”
England were left short-handed in defence for Adams’ try after captain Owen Farrell had been ordered by Gauzere to speak to his players about their penalty count – only for the referee to blow his whistle for the game to restart while they were still grouped together.
“From the moment when the referee says ‘time on’ the game can recommence,” said Jutge.
“It was on Gauzere to make sure the English had time to reorganise themselves.”
He then gave Williams’ try after consultation with video official
Alex Ruiz, despite a knock-on in the build-up by Louis Rees-zammit.
“The ball was not under the control of the Welsh wing and went forward on to his thigh,” said Jutge.
“In the laws, such as they’re written, there isn’t this notion of loss of control. That’s why this situation lends itself to confusion.
“But the reality is that if he had blown up for a knock-on, no one would have been able to complain.
“It’s one of the perverse effects of the TMO, that we sometimes look too hard at it. In this case, a simple bit of common sense would have sufficed.”
Gauzere’s admission will be of little consolation to England, who were faced with an 11-point deficit after the errors.
He is set to retain his place as assistant for Wales’ next game in Italy a week on Saturday and as referee for Scotland against Wales on the final weekend of the Six Nations.
JACK LEACH will be fasttracked in the queue for a Covid vaccine on his return home – but he refuses to be needled by the spinning pitches in India.
On Thursday, England return to the scene of their 10-wicket demolition on a dirt track in last week’s farcical two-day Test in Ahmedabad.
In near-unplayable conditions, England were skittled out for 112 and 81 in the shortest Test match since the Second World War, generating more hot air about the pitch than the dust from a good-length delivery.
But left-arm spinner Leach, England’s leading bowler in the series with 16 wickets at 29.62, is not complaining about surfaces which have maximised India’s home advantage.
He said: “As a fan, if I was watching a Test, I would probably want it to last longer than two days. As a player I am fully concentrating on how I can do my best on every wicket I play on, and they outplayed us on that wicket.
“I only want to say they bowled very well and that I’m looking at them and seeing how I can get better.”
Leach has acquitted himself well this winter to become England’s firstchoice spinner after playing just two first-class matches in 2020.
He has managed his battle with Crohn’s disease – an inflammatory bowel condition which makes him eligible for the vaccine among priority groups with existing medical concerns
– with dignity and professionalism. Leach revealed: “My GP’S said I’m due for the vaccine when I get back.”
But the Somerset twirler is in no rush for the jab when he is finding his range in India, adding: “My belief in myself is more than it has been in the past.
“Doing it out here against some top batters has given me lots of confidence. I know I still have lots of hard work to do but I’ve seen how I can come back from disappointment or tough times in games and put in good performances.
“That’s more pleasing to me than having it all my own way and bowling sides out. That would be lovely but to come through some tough moments and put in good performances has given me a lot of confidence.”
England can still level the series at 2-2 by winning the fourth Test and Leach says skipper Joe Root’s spell of 5-8 last week should encourage him to bowl more as a front-line spinner.
Leach, 29, said: “It was an unbelievable spell, wasn’t it? Nicked a five-for off me, didn’t he? But seriously, he’s a really good off-spin bowler.
“Obviously a world-class batter and most of his attention is going on that, but hopefully he gets a lot of confidence from what he’s done in that game.
“He should definitely think of himself as a genuine option
– in these conditions and others.”
DARREN MOORE became Sheffield Wednesday’s fourth manager of the season yesterday – and walked straight into a row with former club Doncaster.
The 46-year-old quit a League One promotion campaign with Rovers to try to revive relegationthreatened Wednesday in the Championship. Doncaster chairman David Blunt said he was “disappointed”, given the support Moore had received in the transfer window to build on a “promising season”. Moore succeeds Garry Monk, Tony Pulis and, latterly, interim boss Neil Thompson, who will remain on the Owls staff, and says it was a chance he could not turn down.
Blunt said: “We are disappointed that Darren has chosen to leave the club partway through what has been a season full of promise.
“We have made significant efforts to support Darren over the past 18 months.
“This has included supporting him through the past two transfer windows.”
Ex-west Brom boss Moore said: “I understand David’s comments and about being disappointed and the timing but I am sure he is delighted for me as an individual.”
Wednesday, second from bottom in the table, are six points adrift from safety and tomorrow face a derby with Rotherham, just a place above them. Moore said: “It is my biggest challenge because it is the next one. I have to be confident. I am ultra competitive.
“I have a belief within. It will always burn in me. I know it is not an easy challenge.
“We have some top, talented players here and I want to unlock that to their full potential.
“I see more in them. We have to unleash that talent and get them playing with freedom.
“I did that at Doncaster. I had players there playing to a level they might not have seen six months ago.
“I can’t stop what people’s views will be. From my perspective, to come and join this club, and the challenge, it is a wonderful club, steeped in huge tradition. The chance was too much to resist. I had no hesitation.
“The message to the players is clear. What has gone on, has gone on, it is how we focus our minds and come together and see what we can achieve.
“We know it is a hard task, we know it is difficult, but we have to approach those hurdles together as a group.”
Owls owner Dejphon Chansiri insisted he is not selling up.
He said: “I have some asking, or want to buy. I don’t think I’m going to sell.”