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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

How horses removed from Gordon Elliott's yard by Cheveley Park Stud have fared one year on

It is one year on since a photo of Gordon Elliott sitting on top of a dead horse shocked the world of racing and beyond.

The Meath handler was suspended for six months over the image and returned to training in September.

He has enjoyed an incredible season so far, recording 124 winners, and sends his biggest ever team to the Cheltenham Festival this month.

While big owners such as Michael O'Leary and Noel and Valerie Moran stood by Elliott, Cheveley Park Stud removed the eight horses they had in training with him from his care.

The most notable one at the time was Envoi Allen, but he has not gone on to reach the heights that he had been tipped to.

Envoi Allen, Quilixios, Ballyadam, Malone Road and Guily Billy went to Henry de Bromhead, while Sir Gerhard, Classic Getaway and Grangeclare West moved to Willie Mullins.

Here are how the horses have fared since leaving Cullentra:

Envoi Allen

Envoi Allen (©INPHO/Declan Roughan)

After bolting up in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle in 2019, Envoi Allen was one of the bankers of last year's Festival as he came into the Marsh Novices' Chase unbeaten in his 11 racecourse starts.

But he fell at the fourth fence and was pulled up at the Punchestown Festival the following month, although he was found to be lame after that contest.

He registered his first win for Henry de Bromhead in a Grade 2 at Down Royal at odds of 4/11 on his seasonal reappearance, but only managed to finish sixth behind Allaho in the John Durkan at Punchestown in December.

The eight-year-old did land a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas, but there were only three runners, with Sizing Potsie beaten when falling late on and Battleoverdoyen finishing seven and a half lengths behind the winner back in second.

Envoi Allen is entered in both the Champion Chase and the Ryanair, with the latter contest his most likely target.

Sir Gerhard

Sir Gerhard (©INPHO/Morgan Treacy)

Just weeks after leaving Elliott's yard, Sir Gerhard won the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham by narrowly beating new stablemate Kilcruit under Rachael Blackmore.

Kilcruit did go on to reverse the form at Punchestown, with Sir Gerhard finishing behind him back in third.

But Sir Gerhard is undefeated in his two runs over hurdles and won the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle comfortably when last seen at the Dublin Racing Festival.

In total, he has won over €140,000 in prize money since leaving Elliott's yard. He is a leading Festival fancy once again and will run in either the Supreme or Ballymore.

Quilixios

Rachael Blackmore on Quilixios celebrates after winning at Cheltenham (©INPHO/Mark Cranham)

Another of those to win at last year's Festival after leaving Elliott's yard, Quilixios landed the Triumph Hurdle - a race which Cullentra House were fancied to win with 11/8 favourite Zanahiyr.

But Quilixios has not won since and could only manage to finish seventh of nine runners when favourite for the Grade 1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown last April.

He has chased home Champion Hurdle fancy Teahupoo three times this season, but was beaten 22 lengths when third behind that rival at Gowran Park last month.

He is entered in both the Champion Hurdle and County Hurdle.

Ballyadam

Ballyadam (©INPHO/Presseye/Kelvin Boyes)

This Fame And Glory gelding won his first two starts over hurdles for Elliott before finishing fourth and later second behind Appreciate It prior to leaving Cullentra.

He has not won a race since and was last seen finishing well down the field in the Liffey Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

He did finish runner-up to Appreciate It in last year's Supreme, but has been disappointing since and is only entered in the County Hurdle at the Festival this month.

Classic Getaway

A record-equalling purchase, Classic Getaway was bought for £470,000 after winning a point-to-point for trainer Donnchadh Doyle.

He never ran for Elliott and bolted up on his racecourse debut in a bumper at Tipperary last May under Patrick Mullins for his father Willie.

He made his hurdling debut in January, but could only manage to finish second to stablemate Cash Back at Clonmel.

He has since won over 2m4½f at Punchestown and is entered in the Supreme, Ballymore and Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham.

Guily Billy

Beaten at odds of 1/3 on his racecourse debut, Guily Billy did go on to win at Tramore in December, landing a maiden hurdle by 25 lengths.

He was pulled up in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle when last seen in action, the race in which Dysart Dynamo absolutely bolted up in, and is not entered in any races at Cheltenham.

Grangeclare West

Another expensive purchase, Grangeclare West cost Cheveley Park Stud €500,000 in December 2020.

He easily won a bumper under Jody Townend at odds of 2/11 last May at Punchestown, but has not been seen on a racecourse since.

Malone Road

Malone Road (©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo)

This lad was among the ante-post market leaders for the 2020 Supreme Novice Hurdle when he was ruled for the rest of the season in late 2019.

He has only ran twice since, the last of those coming when he finished N'golo in a Novice Hurdle at Listowel in September 2020.

De Bromhead reported that he had a knee problem last season and had planned to go novice chasing with him this term, but he has yet to be seen in action for the Waterford trainer.

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