Gordon Elliott wraps up Cheltenham with three winners after final day double
Trainer Gordon Elliott is interviewed after sending out Teahupooto to win the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle.
Trainer Gordon Elliott, who won Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle with Teahupoo, wrapped up the meeting with three winners thanks to a final-day double with Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead, both of which provided a landmark success for their respective rider.
Three miles in heavy ground quite the test for novices but the teak-tough Search For Glory gave young rider Sam Ewing his breakthrough Festival victory in the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle.
“Absolutely brilliant,” said a relieved Ewing, after his mount collared the luckless The Jukebox Man in the final strides. “The way the week was going, you think it’s never going to happen, and I couldn’t wait to go home. It’s unbelievable.
“It’s a big relief to finally ride a Cheltenham winner. The team has been very good to me. This is only my second season riding over jumps, and it was hard to get going. I’m so thankful to Gordon Elliott, Noel Meade and Peter Fahey, who have all helped me along the way.”
Elliott’s 203-1 double came up when Better Days Ahead not only gave Danny Gilligan his maiden Festival victory but did likewise for popular owner Noel Moran and the recognisable green, white and red colours of his Bective Stud. Contesting the ultra-competitive Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, in which the leading fancies came to the fore, he found most close home to give Elliot a third win in the race named after his former boss.
“It probably hasn’t sunk in yet but, just walking back down there, the buzz is unbelievable,” said Gilligan. “Mam and Dad and all my brothers are here and meeting them on the way down was extra-special.
“I’m over the moon to get a first winner in Cheltenham for the owners, who sponsored me at the start of the season. They are massive owners in the yard and I’m sure Gordon would be lost without them.”
Gavin Cromwell, who saddled Inothewayurthinkin to take Thursday’s final race, doubled his tally for the meeting when exuberant jumper Limerick Lace, ridden by Keith Donoghue, led a JP McManus-owned one-two in the Mrs Paddy Power Chase. For McManus, this fifth winner of the week brought his career tally to 78 Festival winners.
After a Thursday trouncing at the hands of the home team, which brought the score to 12-8 in favour of Ireland, the final tally in the Prestbury Cup read 18 winners to Ireland, nine to Britain, ensuring a sixth consecutive clear-cut win for the visitors, and ninth in 10 years – 2019 ended in a draw.
