Rising star Samcro kept over hurdles

TRAINER Gordon Elliott admits Samcro has some way to go before he is ‘mentioned in the same breath as Faugheen and Istabraq’ — but the exciting six-year-old is set to follow in the hoof-prints of his talented predecessors by having the Champion Hurdle as his ultimate aim this season. A brilliant novice hurdler last term, winning four of his five starts including the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, Samcro was a candidate for a novice chase campaign as well as appearing a highly viable contender for the Champion Hurdle in March. However, following consultations with owners Michael and Eddie O’Leary of Gigginstown Stud, Elliott is happy to commit his talented gelding to a season over hurdles. ‘I’ve spoken to Michael and Eddie O’Leary and we’ve decided to keep him over hurdles this season in the hope that he can develop into a Champion Hurdle contender,’ wrote Elliott in his Betfair blog. ‘I’ve never had a Champion Hurdle horse before and Gigginstown have yet to win it and we thought that it was worth giving Samcro a shot at that race. As far as this season is concerned, he will be staying over hurdles and we are going to try and follow a path towards the Champion Hurdle.’