'I think the Gold Cup is made for him and my job is to have him in the best place I can for that day'

Gordon Elliott has his eye on the biggest prize of all once again. The years have skipped by since Don Cossack claimed Cheltenham glory but now there is another readymade Gold Cup contender back at Cullentra House in the shape of the big, bruising heavyweight Gerri Colombe.

There is just the one blot on his copybook. That was in the Brown Advisory at this year's Cheltenham Festival when the line came about two strides too early, but the way in which he was eating up the ground on The Real Whacker suggests the extra two furlongs of a Gold Cup will be right up his street. Elliott thinks so too and everything will be geared towards having him cherry ripe for March 15, 2024. That will be his date with destiny.

The rebuilding process at Cullentra House continues at a rapid pace and there is a serious amount of talent in the underage academy. Impressive point-to-point winners have been bought and many of them will be running in the very familiar maroon and white silks of Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud. It turns out the great man is going nowhere. Some of his young horses could take him to plenty of nice places, though, judging by what they achieved between the flags.