Proper duel for title on cards after Sunday splurge by Elliott

In a sense everyone was looking in the wrong direction before the action got under way at Navan on Sunday. Gordon Elliott’s decision to run 11 in the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase attracted much attention from commentators and punters alike in the build-up.

As we all speculated which of them would fare best, and perhaps contemplated the possibility of a Michael Dickinson-style result, not many gave serious consideration to the trainer’s chance of exercising a near-monopoly on the day.

Make no mistake, this was no run-of-the-mill card. Far from being a case of Elliott exploiting a series of soft races, this was one of the most competitive fixtures of the season. The starting prices tell a story – only two of the trainer’s six winners were sent off at less than 5-1 and there was only one winning favourite among them.