Gordon Elliott would love to provide jockey Davy Russell with one final hurrah in the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree Racecourse.
The County Meath handler has won the Aintree marathon three times including back-to-back successes Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019, who was ridden by veteran rider Russell. The dual Grand National-winning jockey retired from riding in December. But after Jack Kennedy suffered a broken leg in January, Russell returned to help the Cullentra House handler out. The 43-year-old won a Grade One on board Mighty Potter at the Dublin Racing Festival. But he couldn't add to his successes at last month's Cheltenham Festival, going without a winner and being forced to miss the ride on Conflated in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, having been stood down.
Elliott is hoping that Russell can end his career at Aintree and is sure he can provide him with one last ride in the world's greatest steeplechase on April 15.
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Elliott said: "If Galvin is there, it is Davy's ride if he wants it. I suppose it all depends on if Jack gets back, but Davy has been a big part of Cullentra since I started training and he's coming to the end of his days. I wouldn't like to see him finish up on the note he finished on at Cheltenham. He was sore after Cheltenham and he made the decision he didn't feel 100 per cent right to ride in the Gold Cup. It was a big call, but that is the man he is – he would never do wrong by the horse and the owners.
"Obviously he was very sore and made the right decision not to ride on, but I would like to give him a better send-off than that. I don't think there would be any better way for him to finish off than in the National. If Jack doesn't come back there will be plenty of other rides for him at the meeting, but I'm not 100 per cent sure what he is going to do. I would like to see one last hurrah for him at Aintree. It's him and that's the type of jockey he is – you saw at the Dublin Racing Festival, up until he got the fall that he was riding like a man in his 20s. I think, for Davy Russell and for the whole of horse racing, he deserves a better send-off than if he finished at Cheltenham."
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It has been a rough season for Elliott's regular riders with Kennedy and Russell both having spells out, while Jordan Gainford and Sam Ewing have also been on the sidelines. Ewing suffered a broken arm last month. But trainer Elliott has not made firm jockey plans just yet for the Aintree showpiece, in which he could saddle around six runners. He said: "Jack Kennedy is number one jockey here and I would hope we have him back. If we don't have him back, we will work from the top down and use the best available. That's where we are."
Elliott's National hopefuls will be headed by last year's third Delta Work, who won the Cross Country Chase for a second successive season at Cheltenham last month. He beat stablemate Galvin, who could also head to the famous Liverpool track a week on Saturday. Delta Work is a best-priced 10-1 with most bookmakers for the Grand National with Galvin 25-1 with William Hill.
Elliott said: "Delta Work was third in the race last year, he got a little bit far back early but ran a very good race. He was a little careful early but he's in great form and I couldn't be happier with him, he's working very well. Galvin – the drier the ground, the better a chance he has. He will have come on a lot from Cheltenham, he's in good form and I'm very happy with him."
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Elliott could also saddle Punchestown Grand National Trial winner Coko Beach, Fury Road, Escaria Ten – who finished ninth in last year's Grand National and Dunboyne, who stayed-on to be third in the Kim Muir Chase at last month's Cheltenham Festival. The Irish trainer said: "Coko ran very well in the race last year and finished eighth. He won the Grand National Trial at Punchestown.
"For Fury Road it is the first time stepping up to this trip. He's a Grade One horse and a classy horse. Again a bit of nice ground would suit him, but he's in very, very good form. Escaria Ten travelled well for a long way last year but just didn't get home. We're going to drop him in and take our time with him, ride him a little bit different this year. Dunboyne gets in off 10st. He's going to wear blinkers and stays really well. If he gets into a rhythm and doesn't get too far back early, he will come home strong."
Meanwhile Elliott will also have a strong hand across the three days of the Grand National Festival (April 13-15) next week headed by Gold Cup third Conflated, who will line-up in the Alder Hey Aintree Bowl on Grand Opening Day next Thursday. The race is being billed as one of the best of the season with Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame and Nicky Henderson's Shishkin among those also likely to line-up.
Conflated will bid to go one better than when he was second to Clan Des Obeaux, just a length adrift, in the 3m1f Grade One contest at Aintree 12 months ago. Elliott said: "The way it has fallen, and with Willie (Mullins) being very strong at Punchestown, we will send quite a few over to Aintree. Conflated is going to go for the Bowl, he's in good form and ran very well in the Gold Cup. We're looking forward to running him."
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Others who could head to Aintree are Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle first and third Sire Du Berlais and Teahupoo. They will line-up in the JRL Group Liverpool Hurdle, which Sire Du Berlais also won last year. While Champion Hurdle third Zanahiyr could take on the mighty Constitution Hill again in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle – also on the opening day. Elliott said: "Sire Du Berlais and Teahupoo will both run in the three-mile hurdle. Sire Du Berlais turns up once or twice a year and he's a horse of a lifetime. We are very proud of him. Zanahiyr could run in the two-and-a-half-mile race. He seems to have come out of Cheltenham very well. He seems to enjoy taking his time a little bit, so we're looking forward to running him."
Gerri Colombe was just beaten a short head by The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Prestbury Park. He will bid to gain compensation in the Air Charter Services Mildmay Novices' Chase, the opening race on Ladies Day next Friday. Elliott added: "Gerri Colombe is going to run in the three-mile novice chase. He will have an entry in Punchestown as well, but we would just be a little bit nervous that the ground could dry up a little bit before then. It's not that he needs softer ground, but I think he could be a lot more effective with a bit of dig."
Elliott will also have runners in the Grade One novice events over hurdles and could also have several lining up in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race – the finale of the meeting on Grand National day. He said: "I think I'll run Found A Fifty in the two-mile Grade One (Top Novices' Hurdle). He's in good form and hasn't done an awful lot wrong. We think he's a good horse and one we are really excited about going chasing with next year. Irish Point will go for two-and-a-half-mile Grade One (Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle). He didn't do much wrong the last day and stayed galloping all the way to the line.
"Absolute Notions will go for the three-mile novice (Cavani Menswear Sefton Novices' Hurdle). We've kept him fresh, but I suppose if the ground ended up very soft we might not run him. We could also run Landrake and maybe Cool Survivor. Jazzy Matty will go for the juvenile (Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle), he won the Boodles and is in great form, while I'll probably have three or four in the bumper – King Of Kingsfield, Samui and maybe the horse that won in Leopardstown, Pour Les Filles.
