Cheltenham Festival 2020: Gordon Elliott with the latest on Delta Work, Envoi Allen, Tiger Roll and the rest of his team
GORDON Elliott reckons his golden boy Delta Work is made for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The improving stayer has claimed back-to-back Grade 1s at Leopardstown this season, including the Irish Gold Cup earlier this month.
He is tops 6-1 with Betfair for the Festival feature, with defending champ Al Boum Photo the current 4-1 favourite.
And Elliott, who won the Gold Cup in 2017 with Don Cossack, says the horse has had the perfect preparation.
He said: "I don’t think he has done too much wrong over the last couple of seasons.
"He was lame after Down Royal and the only real time he has been beat was in the RSA last year when it didn't work out on the day.
"I would say the mistake I made last year was not running him between Christmas and Cheltenham.
“I think he is made for the Gold Cup. His style of racing will suit and so will the trip. The one thing about him is that he stays. I love him.
"He has had a smoother prep than Don Cossack the year he won it."
He forms part of a formidable Elliott-trained team bound for Cheltenham next month.
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Unbeaten hurdler Envoi Allen is considered the Irish 'banker' of the meeting, and he is almost certain to take up his Ballymore entry - provided the ground doesn't come up heavy.
Elliott said: “If it came up very soft, I would not rule out Envoi Allen dropping back for the Supreme.
"At the moment, he is going for the Ballymore, but he could be my only other runner in the Supreme if it came up very soft.
"He is in great form. Keith Donoghue rides him everyday and could not be happier. He may have a go in a schooling hurdle over the next 10 days, just to give him another spin over hurdles.
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“He is a good horse and, listen, there is always more pressure when you go with the likes of him.
"We don’t hype them up, it's the media that do that, but we think he is a very good horse.
"I suppose if you win seven out of seven, people are inclined to talk about you, aren’t they?”
“He never does anymore than he has to. Even working him, if you paired him with a 95 horse, not that we work him beat another horse, he would only do what he has to do.”
Elliott Festival snippets
- Coeur Sublime: “He will be my only runner in the Champion Hurdle. He has had a wind operation since he ran at Christmas. He would not mind a bit of cut in the ground. It is going to be a competitive but open Champion Hurdle, and it would not shock me if he was placed in it."
- Abracadabras: "He has not run since Christmas because he has already had four runs over hurdles and I thought another run may knock the edge off him. He is speed horse and the one worry I would have is it if it came up very soft."
- Samcro: “If he goes to Cheltenham, it will be for the Marsh Novices’ Chase. He has had a wind operation since Limerick and, although we were disappointed on the day, he was beaten by a good horse. He is a hard horse to keep right, but he's working well and looks great, so we will give it a go. I would prefer the ground to be on the better side for him."
- Champagne Classic: "I would have to finalise plans with Michael and Eddie O’Leary, but if I had my way, he would be going for the National Hunt Chase. I think the race is made for him. It just depends on how their ammunition is looking for the RSA.
- Battleoverdoyen: "He was very sore after his Leopardstown fall. He is the one horse I would be nervous about going to Cheltenham with. He never ate or drank once he got over there last year and ran deplorably in the Ballymore. It would not be a shock if I kept him at home. If that happens, there is chance Champagne Classic might switch to the RSA."
- Battle Of Wills: “He could be our Triumph horse. He won in Naas and I think he is a nice horse. He is going to work in the morning and then hopefully go to Fairyhouse at the weekend. The Triumph looks an open race and I think if you have a horse who can travel off the pace, you will have a chance because they are going to go very quick in front."
- Pertemps horses: “In the Pertemps Network Final, we will probably run The Storyteller and Sire du Berlais, who won it last year. Sire du Berlais will probably wear blinkers. The Storyteller had a nice prep for it at Leopardstown when he finished 6th in a qualifier. He has won at Cheltenham before. We have a couple of others that need to qualify who are running at Punchestown tomorrow, so we will see how they get on."
- Ben Dundee: “He will definitely run in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate. He was third there last year in the novices’ handicap chase. He loves running fresh, so we are going straight there."
Dual Grand National hero Tiger Roll is firmly on course for a defence of his Cross Country crown following his encouraging reappearance in the Boyne Hurdle on Sunday.
Elliott continued: "We were very, very happy with the way he ran in the Boyne Hurdle. He has come out of the race very well and he is in great form.
"He showed a lot of zest at Navan. He came there looking like the winner between the last two but just got tired. He will go to Cheltenham for a little school around the cross country and it will be all systems go.
"He is the one horse we are all really looking forward to."