THE JUMPS season is about to get going good and proper and who better to hear from than Gordon Elliott.
The top Irish trainer is ready to rumble and the Betfair ambassador fills us in on his Cork runners on Sunday.
Best Chance – Get Rich Die Plyin (14.07)
14.07 Get Rich Die Plyin
He’s a grand horse who stays very well as he showed when he won a maiden hurdle over just short of three miles at Punchestown last month. That was his first run since January so I’d be expecting him to come on for that run but he will need to as this is a better race.
He’s in good shape and I hope he will give a good account of himself and his run here should tell us what route we need to take with him over the next few months. He shouldn’t have any trouble with the good ground.
15.17 Elite Trooper Grey
He has struggled in maiden hurdles since coming to us but he has run okay on a couple of occasions and I’m hoping he will appreciate the switch to handicap company.
He does enjoy soft ground but he did win on good ground in Sligo so I’m hoping this ground will be fine for him and I think this trip will help him as two miles seems a bit on the sharp side for him. Hopefully we will see him take a step in the right direction here.
16.27 Coko Beach
He didn’t really go on last season after starting off with a few promising runs. Having said that he actually ran quite well in the Coral Cup when he was beaten just over ten lengths into ninth on his last start of the season.
He is a lazy type of horse and is quite hard to get fit at home so he’s as ready as I can get him at home but I’ve no doubt that he will come on a lot for this run.
He’s a horse with plenty of ability and there should be a nice race to be won with him over fences but he will improve on whatever he shows here.
17.00 Timoteo & Dakota Moirette
It will be interesting to see how Timoteo gets on. Some of his form in England wasn’t bad and at his best he looks quite a useful two mile handicap chaser.
On his last two runs early on last season he ran poorly and then we bought him at the sales in the summer and he’s settled in well here and is working fine but I haven’t asked him any serious questions and I would imagine he will improve for this run.
He seems a grand type and the hope is that he will be able to compete in decent two mile handicap chases throughout the season.
Dakota Moirette is a frustrating horse. He really should have won over fences by now and he’s passed up some good opportunities and his jumping has let him down quite a few times.
When he puts it altogether I could see him winning a reasonable two mile handicap chase and he did run very well in a good race at Leopardstown a couple of seasons ago. He’s in good shape and I think he has come on for his first run of the season last month while the drop in trip won’t be a problem. He’s got an each way chance but he needs to do things right.
17.30 Torygraph
He’s really a staying type of horse for novice hurdles but this looked a nice race to start him out in as the trip should play to his strengths.
He is going to have to improve on his last couple of runs to play a leading role and he is going to come on for this run but I’m hoping he could run well as he has always worked like a horse who was good enough to win a bumper.
