Time For Rupert beatable, says Elliott
All in all, not exactly the sort of environment that lends itself to a level head - hence the carpet of beaten dockets at the end of every day - but some are better at maintaining their poise than others.
Colm Murphy and Gordon Elliott are among the few that don’t do hyperbole, not even yesterday morning when they gathered in the racecourse’s press area to discuss what they hope will be their pivotal roles in today’s grand events.
Willie Mullins’ entrants carry the brunt of Irish hopes at Prestbury Park in 2011 but Murphy and Elliott are nevertheless among the posse of raiders looking to uphold the proud tradition of Irish champions in these parts.
Both hold multiple interests today with Murphy coming to the party with Big Zeb in the Champion Chase, Raise The Beat in the Champion Bumper and Quito De La Roque in the RSA Chase.
“He is doing very well,” said Murphy of Big Zeb who carries so many Irish hopes and euros in today’s Queen Mother Champion Chase. “He travelled over really well. We couldn’t be happier. It has gone really well so fingers crossed now.
“There are a lot of unknown factors in the race. Somersby ran very well against Master Minded last time and could be improving and Sizing Europe won the Arkle last year and will appreciate a bit of nice ground. It’s certainly not a two-horse race. There are half a dozen with chances.”
The Co Wexford trainer has a superb record here in the Cotswolds over the past decade with three wins and eight places in his last 13 races and his big hope goes up against Master Minded today with the benefit of drying underfoot conditions.
That is just one of the reasons Barry Geraghty could afford to be so upbeat about the ride. The other is Big Zeb’s flawless performances over fences this last two years which have gone some way to ending his reputation as a flaky jumper.
“He has missed them all the last two years,” said Geraghty. “He hasn’t touched one. He has been good. He made his mistakes in the past but he is jumping well and, all being right, he will be in there with a shout.”
Murphy and Geraghty have been there and done that many a time as far as Cheltenham is concerned but Gordon Elliott hasn’t and today marks his best bet yet for what would be a maiden festival success.
The Meath trainer has declared an interest in a number of today’s races but Chicago Grey and Jessies Dream seem to provide the best of the stable’s hopes in the four-mile National Hunt Chase and RSA Chase respectively.
Not that you would know it yesterday to look at the man who first came to public prominence by becoming the youngest ever person to train the winner of the Aintree Grand National with Silver Birch back in 2007.
His words were heavily rationed but positive. “Chicago Grey is in good nick,” said Elliott, “and he has been around the course a couple of times so hopefully he will go well. It’s not a bad race. It’s actually a good four-miler. There are 17 runners and he should be close enough.”
And what of Jessie’s Dream? “He is at the stables and he travelled over very well. He is in good nick and he will love this ground drying out. It is a very competitive race but I will be very disappointed if he doesn’t come in the first three or four.”
Among those vying with Elliott’s mount will be the highly-regard novice Time For Rupert who has transitioned well to fences but the Irish trainer hasn’t lost sleep over his rival.
“I think he is very beatable. Chicago Grey was beaten six or seven lengths by him on soft ground but Chicago Grey had no business winding up in that race. Jesse’s should be placed. I am not saying we will beat him but the favourite is definitely beatable.”
