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Grade One assignment on the cards for Elliott five-year-old
Battleoverdoyen looks another potential superstar for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud after a stylish display in the Irish Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle at Navan.
Bought for £235,000 after winning a point-to-point, he did not run for well over a year before making a winning debut under rules in a Punchestown bumper last month.
Elliott wasted no time in sending him over hurdles and he jumped with great accuracy for Jack Kennedy, having no trouble in landing cramped odds of 8-15, cruising home 13 lengths clear of Momus, also in the Gigginstown colours.
“We think he’s a nice horse. He improved a lot from his run the last day in the bumper and he’ll improve again for his first run over hurdles,” said Elliott.
“He jumped very well and a step up in trip the next day will suit him. He stays very well.
“He’ll probably go to Naas next (for the Lawlor’s of Naas Novice Hurdle, Grade One on January 6), all being well.”
Elliott doubled up as Envoi Allen maintained his unbeaten record in the “Future Champions” Flat Race.
Another smart prospect for Cheveley Park Stud, the four-year-old had made a huge impression when winning on his racecourse debut.
Sent off the 4-11 favourite in this Listed event, he had to show a lot more but passed his test with flying colours, although he looks set to swerve the Cheltenham Festival.
Patrick Mullins went into a sizeable lead and was some 20 lengths clear at halfway on Packens Rock, but with two furlongs to run the gap had rapidly diminished.
Envoi Allen and Jamie Codd had closed up, although going just as well was Jospeh O’Brien’s Midnight Run.
Codd had to get pretty serious, but Envoi Allen quickened smartly to win by four and three-quarter lengths.
Elliott and Cheveley Park have another smart bumper horse in Malone Road, and he too appears likely to miss Cheltenham.
“He’s still only learning, and Jamie said he couldn’t pull him up after the race. He’s a big raw horse, and we like him,” said Elliott.
“He might not be a Cheltenham bumper horse this year, but he’s a horse for the future. He’ll probably have one more run this season, but it probably won’t be in Cheltenham.
“Malone Road probably won’t make Cheltenham the way things are going, but maybe Punchestown. It’s not career threatening, but it’s holding us up.
“When you miss six or eight weeks this time of the year, unfortunately that’s what happens.”
Noel Meade will have taken plenty of pleasure in watching Cap York win the John Lynch Carpets Maiden Hurdle after a mammoth lay-off.
Another sporting the Gigginstown colours, Davy Russell nursed him into contention but it looked like he would have to settle for second when Captain Cj hit the front for Danny Hand.
However, defying his near-two year absence, Cap York (7-1) found plenty for pressure to win by a length and three-quarters.
“Davy gave him a great ride. He had a bit of leg trouble and missed a year. He didn’t jump particularly well, he jumped pretty awful really and left his hind legs in everything,” said Meade.
“He just keeps galloping and I’d say the softer the ground and the longer the trip the more he would like it.”
Meade quickly doubled up when He’s No Molly (3-1 favourite) made a winning debut over fences in the Free Racecourse WiFi At Navan Rated Novice Chase.
Having won his last two over hurdles Meade, took the decision to switch tack and it paid off under Sean Flanagan.
“I thought he’d done as much as he was going to do over hurdles. He’s a bit one-paced, but he jumps very well so that’s why I put him over fences as soon as we did,” said Meade.
“He did what we thought he would do and he’s certainly going to be better over three miles. I don’t know where he will go next, but he’ll stay over fences.”