Gordon Elliott: 'If I had a tenner free bet I’d have it on him - he's very good'

Gordon Elliott has thrown his confidence behind Itswhatunitesus in the Future Stars Bumper (4.25) to close out day one of the Dublin Racing Festival on Saturday.

The Willie Mullins-trained Facile Vega is the hot favourite for the Grade 2 clash but Elliott’s charge heads into the race with a win in his first start – a six-length success at Navan in December over two miles on yielding ground.

The Leopardstown track is expected to have the same conditions on Saturday and Elliott’s only entry in the bumper has reportedly been working very impressively at home.

Speaking on this weekend's Racing Post’s What A Shout (available on our YouTube channel) about what his best bet for the weekend would be, Elliott said: "I’m looking forward to all the Grade 1s and it would obviously be very special if Zanahiyr could beat Honeysuckle, but if I had a tenner free bet I’d have it on Itswhatunitesus.

"I'm going away from the Grade 1s and Patrick’s horse will be difficult to beat, but [Itswhatunitesus] is 4-1.

"He's a very good horse. I’m not saying he’s the best horse in the yard or anything, but he’s a very nice horse. He’s by Walk In The Park and is a weak horse who will improve next year."

Dublin Racing Festival tips: why this horse can win at Leopardstown this weekend

Itswhatunitesus is a best-priced 25-1 for the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, a market headed by another top prospect from Elliott's Cullentra yard in American Mike.

"He worked at Navan last week and he was very, very good," said the trainer. "He’s nowhere near American Mike at this stage, but he galloped with The Tide Turns last week and galloped every bit as good as him.

Itswhatunitesus: Gordon Elliott's best bet of the weekendCredit: Caroline Norris

"Whether that’s enough to win this I don’t know because Willie’s horse looked awesome at Leopdardstown, but he’s definitely one for the future."

'It baffles me to think there is a £20,000 hurdle with just three runners and two of them are Irish'

Away from Leopardstown, Elliott also runs Where It All Began in a 3m novice hurdle at Musselburgh (1.29), but the trainer has expressed his surprise at the race only attracting three entrants, two of which are from Ireland.

Elliott’s runner and the John McConnell-trained Bardenstown Lad, who both hold entries in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, face off against Lyrical Genius for Charlie Longsdon for a £20,000 prize.

Where It All Began has raced just twice over hurdles, shedding his maiden tag at Tramore on New Year’s Day and the Irish trainer had a punchy response to the small field.

"I’m a big supporter of just putting a horse in a race I think they can win," he said. "It baffles me to think there is a £20,000 hurdle with just three runners and two of them are Irish.

"For me, it’s a big worry when you see all these big UK owners in Ireland. Why are there only three runners? It’s probably not something worth getting into, but it’s a big, big worry for me that there can only be that amount of runners in a race like this.

"Our horse is a big chaser in the making, John McConnell’s [Bardenstown Lad] looks the one to beat on ratings but our horse has a chance."

Goffs Future Stars Bumper (4.25 Leopardstown, Saturday)

Paddy Power: 4-5 Facile Vega, 4 Itswhatunitesus, 11-2 The Big Doyen, 7 Sandor Clegane, 20 Embassy Gardens, Da Capo Glory, 33 Carnfunnock

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