Gordon Elliott claims notable first courtesy of Monbeg Notorious
Kitchen sinks have been thrown with less force than the one thrown by Gordon Elliott at this year's Thyestes Chase, and the six-pronged attack hit the target as one of the notable absences from the trainer's supremely impressive CV was finally addressed.
The Jack Kennedy-ridden Monbeg Notorious did not look the most obvious candidate as most of the pre-race talk surrounded the chances of James Bowen's mount Out Sam, but Kennedy's mount was backed into 7-2 favourite at the off and won as a well-fancied market leader could be expected to.
It was an especially notable training performance by Elliott, winning with a novice having just his fourth run over fences in desperately testing ground – his first run in a handicap – and a horse about whom Elliott had not been overly complimentary after his beginners' chase triumph at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.
Monbeg Notorious looked a different horse here though, jumping and travelling the whole way for Kennedy, who probably had little choice but to make the best of his way home from as far out as he did. The winner galloped relentlessly to the line to score by 11 lengths from Wounded Warrior, with the winner's stable companion Space Cadet a head further away in third.
Asked when he had this race in mind, Elliott said: "I wasn't that impressed with him the last day, but I did say that one race he might go for was this one.
"I'd say it just suited him having horses in front of him but I would be telling you a lie if I thought he was going to win like that. He jumped the fences like they were on fire at Punchestown last day but he was much better today and it worked out great."
Trainers' title battle
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Published on 25 January 2018inReports
Last updated 17:11, 25 January 2018
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- Hereford: 'Lovely youngster' Jurancon seals second bumper win and 145-1 across-the-card double for David Pipe
- Wincanton: Harry Cobden enjoying title push as double extends his lead to 15 over Sean Bowen
- Newcastle: 'I’m delighted to get one for Ian' - Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer ends two-year wait for winner
- Taunton: 'I was more concerned with the loose one' - Sean O'Connor scores on No No Tonic in eventful opener
- Exeter: Conditional Luke Scott bags another winner and has leading Aintree hope to look forward to