Here's the full lowdown on Gordon Elliott's Cheltenham festival hopes
Elliott has been delighted with his unbeaten novice chaser this season, none more so than when he worked with stablemate and Gold Cup favourite Don Cossack after racing at Leopardstown on Sunday.
With two Grade One wins under his belt, No More Heroes does not lack class, but Elliott feels Jonjo O’Neill’s 2014 World Hurdle hero More Of That should be favourite.
He said: “I thought he was very good in Leopardstown.
“He was a bit big over the first one or two, that’s why we wanted to get him up there as he hasn’t run since Christmas.
“He went round with a Gold Cup horse - the highest-rated horse - and I think he would have learned more jumping eight or nine fences the other day than he did in his two previous runs.
“If we get him there in one piece we’ll be looking forward to it, but I’m not sure he should be favourite.
“More Of That is a World Hurdle winner and is four from four around Cheltenham. Having a horse like that in the race takes a bit of pressure off me.
“I’m sure the ground will be beautiful, so I don’t think we’ll be blaming the ground.”
Gordon Elliott’s Festival hopes
“He’ll go for the Arkle, all being well. The better the ground the better chance he’d have.”
“I said we’d go straight for the County Hurdle and that’s the plan. He was like a bull (on Tuesday morning) and I couldn’t be happier with him.”
“He’s in the Supreme and he’s in a few handicaps, but he’s not definite (to go to Cheltenham). It depends what way Gigginstown are going with their other horses.”
“He’s in the Supreme and the Neptune and it’s a bit too early to say which way we’re going, but at the moment we’re leaning towards the Supreme.”
“I think four miles round Cheltenham is right up his alley. Jamie Codd would ride him if he runs in it. He’s in a handicap as well and we’ll see what weight he gets, but if I have my way he’ll go for the four-miler.”
“I’m not sure she’ll get in the Kim Muir, but if she gets in she’ll go.”
“He won at Punchestown last time and the plan is definitely to go for the Coral Cup.”
“He’s in the Coral Cup but we might aim towards the Martin Pipe.”
“If he gets into the County Hurdle he’ll run.”
“He seems to run well fresh and that’s why we said we’d go straight for the Kim Muir. Nina Carberry is going to ride him, which is a massive help.”
“He’s working well at home and it will be interesting to see what mark he gets for the Fred Winter.”
“He’ll go for the novice handicap on the first day. I think the race is made for him.”
“She’s not been easy to train but if we can get her there she’d have an each-way chance (in the Trull House Stud mares’ race).”
“He’s in the Coral Cup and the Martin Pipe race. I think the Martin Pipe would suit him well, with Jack Kennedy riding him.”
“If the ground came up on the softer side, he’s not without a chance (in the World Hurdle).”
“He’ll either go for the three-mile handicap chase or the Kim Muir. (On Tuesday morning) he was pulling the arms out of Jamie Codd.”
“He’s working very well at home and I’d say he’ll go for the Martin Pipe and Luke Dempsey will ride him.”
“He ran well in The Ladbroke to finish seventh and the County Hurdle could suit him.”
“He’s wrong at the weights, but we’ll let him take his chance in the cross-country.”
“We’ll run him in the Albert Bartlett for Ronnie (Bartlett). He sponsors the race and it will be good for him to have a runner in it.”
“He’s in the Martin Pipe and the Coral Cup but I need to speak to the owners.”
“She’s back in good form and is going to go for the Fred Winter, all being well.”
“Jack Kennedy will ride him in the Pertemps Final to take a few pounds of him and I bet you he’ll run well.”
“He’ll run in the Grand Annual. He’s bit of a boy and he’s hit and miss. “
