RUSSELL’S IN FOR SAMCRO
DAVY RUSSELL has been chosen to ride the mighty Samcro on Sunday – if the six-year-old gets the green light to run.
Gordon Elliott’s star is pencilled in for the Grade One Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown where he will try to atone for a recent shock defeat.
Samcro’s reputation took a knock on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal this month when turned over at odds of 4-9 by Bedrock.
Jack Kennedy was in the saddle that day but is suspended on Sunday, leaving the door open for Russell to take the ride.
But Elliott is concerned that ground conditions might be too fast for his horse, who won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March.
He said: “Samcro will definitely be declared. Ground is a big thing with him. It’s been an extreme year and we’re all pulling our hair out.”
The trainer added that stablemate Tombstone would also be declared for the race, which underfoot conditions do not suit.
Evidence of that approach was on show at Clonmel yesterday, with Shattered Love, another Elliott and Gigginstown star, a late withdrawal from the Listed mares’ chase on Thursday’s card with the ground deemed slightly too quick.
The ground at Punchestown is currently good, good to yielding in places.
Shattered Love will now head for the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown.
Elliott said of his JLT Novices’ Chase winner: “We brought her down hoping, but it’s genuine good ground.
“We waited until after the chase to decide but the jockeys, both Davy Russell and Jack Kennedy, said it was too quick to run her.
“I was mad keen to run her, she was a short-priced favourite, but in the interests of the horse you can’t run her. She’ll go for the John Durkan now where she’ll be getting 7lb off the boys.”