Super six for Elliott at Navan

Gordon Elliott sent out six of the seven winners at local track Navan, throwing down the gauntlet in the Irish trainers’ championship title race.

The Cullentra handler began the afternoon almost €400,000 clear of perennial champion Mullins, albeit having saddled over 400 more runners since the season began, but these successes saw him extend the advantage in style, helped by a large number of runners throughout the card.

Bookmakers Sky Bet responded by cutting Elliott to 7/4 to become champion in Ireland for the first time. The firm had originally offered 5/6 the pair about the rivals when news first broke of the transfer of 60 horses owned by Gigginstown out of Mullins’ yard, Elliott being the principal beneficiary.

Support for Mullins the weeks afterward saw his odds steadily shrink to 1/3, but although the champion struck with Min in the only race not won by Elliott on the card, Mullins’ grip on Irish racing does now seem weaker than has been the case for several years.

“It was one of those days where I thought we’d plenty of chances, but to have six winners is just unbelievable,” said Elliott.

“When everything is going so well you hope that things work out and it’s great.

“Any day you have a winner is great but to have six on one card, I can’t believe it. I had seven winners in a day before between Bellewstown and Perth, but not like this.

“We’ll enjoy it today. I have a great bunch of staff and good owners but I’ll keep my feet on the ground and hopefully let the results do the talking.”

Elliott had struck first with a surprise winner Brelade, who claimed top honours in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle as the Mullins-trained Battleford proved highly disappointing.

Having been narrowly beaten into second in both the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and the …

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