The following horses follow: Gordon Elliott’s new recruits

The three-time Grand National-winning trainer has won the Cheltenham Festival bumper twice, Fayonagh (2017) and Envoi Allen (2019), as well as managing Sir Gerhard before the six-year-old moved to Willie Mullins in 2021.

The Cullentra team has another strong-looking squad of superhorses for the winter ahead, and none are more exciting than the ex-Pointer CLASSIC CREEK. As a four-year-old by Walk In The Park he won ten lengths (Good/Fair) at Tattersalls Farm in late April when trained by Cormac Doyle. He was a €65,000 shopper and led after the third-to-last game before leaping between the final two obstacles with a telling movement of his foot. Although he still shows signs of inexperience, the four-year-old can still achieve much more. Now owned by Gigginstown House Stud, he could be one for the Down Royal Bumper (November 2), an event Gordon Elliott has won eight times in the last nine years, including with Death Duty (2015), Malone Road ( 2018) and Easywork (2019), Sir Gerhard (2020) and American Mike (2021).

KAINSBURG Francois Nicolle is a three-time hurdle and steeplechase winner, and the Doctor Dino gelding comes from the same source that saw him go undefeated in two AQPS Flat races last fall. In October last year he was a scorer over two lengths at Cholet (1m 6f: Very Soft). He ran on the outside and reached the side railing of the stand first before staying well under hands and heels and beating Karakash by two lengths with another eleven lengths back to third. The sixth (three times) and seventh (twice) have won since then. The runner owned by Mme Henri Devin then performed even better and won a Class 3 competition in Nantes in early November (Left-handed: 1m 3f: Heavy). The pair were a head winner from Keping and were six lengths clear in third. The fourth-place finisher (beaten 13 lengths) won a similar race and has since finished second in a Grade 1 race. He was purchased by JPMcManus for €355,000 at the Arqana November sale and will hopefully be a top-notch beginner hurdler.

From the same source as the winning Class 1 novice hurdler Jade De Grugy, namely Adrien Fouassier, LAKOTA BLUE He seemed like a smart guy when he cleared the green to win an AQPS Flat race on his debut in June. With a hood, the three-year-old took part in a five-runner competition in Corlay (1m 4f: Very Soft) and ran in the middle of the field for most of the competition. The son of Chanducoq was pushed forward on the way home and showed his inexperience as he rounded the corner before impressively gaining momentum to clear the issue. He later eased up and defeated Le Pretendant by a length and a half. Both second and third went on to win. Gigginstown House Stud picked him up quickly and he is ready for the youth hurdles. His talent is still raw and unmistakable.

MA JACKS HILL is a large brown gelding with a white face and white socks. His mother was a point winner and was bought by Ciaran Fennessy as a three-year-old for 13,000 euros. The Famous Name gelding, who competed twice in Irish points, still had every chance when he edged out his rider for third-to-last place on his debut at Quakerstown at the end of March. A month later he received compensation from Dromahane (Soft). With quick jumps and a brisk pace he was still at the front of the race in the penultimate race, from then on he broke away and stormed to the winning line to record a narrow two-length triumph. His next commission came at the Punchestown Festival Sale and the winning bid landed at 310,000 euros. He is a tall four-year-old with long strides who is doing well, with stamina perhaps being his strength.

Relieved of dutiesa five-year-old by Sholokhov, was bought by Robcour as a €85,000 shopper and comes from a successful French show jumping family. He was trained in some point-to-point games under the tutelage of Denis Murphy and finished third on his debut at Borris House (Soft) in December. He was off the track until the end of April, but reappeared at Loughanmore (good/yielding) and was much more roadworthy, making it difficult for him to win by six lengths. Better ground suits are possible and it is likely that he will clear the hurdles straight away. Ultimately the chase will be his job, but it will be disappointing if he can’t win his share of races over wood in the meantime.

Gordon Elliott coached SON OF ANARCHY in his point-to-point and is therefore not a new recruit for Cullentra. However, the five-year-old is a potentially exciting candidate as he begins his Rules career. Purchased by agent Mags O’Toole for €85,000 at the Tattersalls Derby Sale in June 2022, the gelding ‘Soldier of Fortune’ impressively justified short-term price preference with a maiden point at Lingstown (Soft) in November last year. By Barry O’Neill, who emerged winner of the jumps five times, his horse edged out the field of nine and pulled away within the final half mile. Scoring by fifteen lengths, he beat Jazz De Cotte – Elliott then secured second place and won a record at Ayr’s Scottish National meeting in the spring. The third has since landed a bumper too. Given enough time to mature, the five-year-old will compete in hurdles this semester and is expected to develop into a graded performer over more than two and a half miles. He could be a contender for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle by spring.

SWING DAVIS was purchased in May for a whopping €320,000 after winning her point-to-point race at Loughanmore (Good/Prolific) just days before the sale. She was coached by Denis Murphy and had fallen fourth last on her debut twenty days earlier. She showed no ill effects at the Northern Ireland venue and after making good progress in the final half-mile, the No Risk At All filly challenged after the penultimate lap before clearing the issue on the run-in. A winner by three and a half lengths out of Colin Bowe’s Kabylia (partnered by Gavin Cromwell), she will wear Robcour’s familiar silk robes under the rules and is expected to run in bumpers this winter. The four-year-old is a filly with a bright future.

• Mark Howards One leap ahead (PDF ONLY – paper copy SOLD OUT) and his 5 Updatesintroducing the latest recruits for the 2024/2025 season can be purchased at www.mhpublications.co.uk

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