AN ACT OF GORD!

Conflated answers Elliott’s prayers

CONFLATED upstaged the big names for a shock Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup triumph — and is now as short as 7-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.

Gordon Elliott felt the frustration of a trio of nearmisses as Willie Mullins captured the first three Grade 1 races of the twoday Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown,

The odds of consolation via a Michael O’Learyowned duo in the feature looked slim — 12-1 chance Delta Work hadn’t won since his victory in the race two years ago, and 18-1 shot Conflated was the only one of the eight runners never to have won a Grade 1 race.

But Davy Russell’s mount, on offer at 33-1 at the start of trading yesterday, flashed clear of his rivals after jumping the second-last fence to hold Cheltenham Gold Cup title-holder Minella Indo by six-and-a-half lengths.

“I thought with second, second, second it was going to be one of those days,” admitted Elliott. “Today has been Willie’s day and we were picking up the pieces.

It’s nice to pick up the Gold Cup!

“I told [O’Leary’s brother and racing manager] Eddie he would either win or pull up. Thankfully, he won.”

The success was Elliott’s biggest since his return from a six-month ban handed down last March after the 43-year-old trainer was pictured sitting astride a dead horse on his Co Meath gallops.

Elliott began the meeting by saddling Minella Crooner to finish second to Mullins’ Minella Cocooner in the Grade 1 Novice

Hurdle. Vauban doubled up for the 15-time champion trainer in the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle – and is now the 2-1 market leader for the Triumph Hurdle.

Blue Lord completed Mullins’ top-tier hat-trick when containing Riviere D’Etel’s rally for the Irish Arkle Novice Chase, before Facile Vega ended the day by running away with the Goffs Future Stars INH Flat Race.

“That’s four winners – we’re very happy,” smiled Mullins.