Elliott braced for O'Leary argument as he reveals Gold Cup hope for Conflated

Gordon Elliott is set to have more runners than ever before at the Cheltenham Festival but the resurgent trainer could have a fight on his hands to convince owner Michael O'Leary to run Conflated in the Gold Cup.

With Elliott already set to saddle Savills Chase hero Galvin in the Boodles-sponsored showpiece, O'Leary indicated on Sunday the Ryanair Chase was his preferred option for the shock Irish Gold Cup winner.

However, on Monday Elliott expressed his belief that Conflated would be best served having a crack at the festival feature, insisting: "There is only one Cheltenham Gold Cup."

The Gigginstown-owned eight-year-old is priced between 9-1 and 12-1 for the Gold Cup, and no bigger than 9-1 for a clash with Allaho in the Ryanair.

"It's grand to win the Ryanair, but the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup," said Elliott. "I just think the way the Ryanair will be run, with the likes of Allaho and those in there, if he made a mistake and missed a fence he might not get back into the race. They might not just go as quickly early in a Gold Cup and he could get into a rhythm.

Conflated: priced between 9-1 and 12-1 for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"It's a bit of a worry about his stamina, but there's a worry about a lot of horses' stamina there. There probably won't be a horse travelling better than A Plus Tard at the third-last, but will he get up the hill this year? I don't know.

"Minella Indo is better around Cheltenham and was good last time but needs to improve again from that. There's a question mark about every horse in the race, and if you're not in you can't win."

Elliott got his way when O'Leary's brother Eddie wanted to run Conflated in a handicap rather than the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival. Pressed on what a conversation with O'Leary entails when the pair differ in opinion on a race target, Elliott explained: "He says he wants to go for the Ryanair. I say I want to go for the Gold Cup. We'll probably have an argument for five minutes and normally it goes his way, but I hope I get my way this time."

Elliott added: "There's a bit of a kink in Conflated. When he's good, he's good. When he's bad, he's horrific. He seems in a good place at the moment, though. He's a lot more settled on the gallops and looks a lot better. We're really looking forward to him.

"Some people have knocked his form and said he's this or that, but he beat last year's Gold Cup winner [Minella Indo] by six and a half lengths going away at Leopardstown. Whatever way you look at it, he was good last time, and before that at Navan."

Galvin (red cap): pulled out all the stops to land the Savills Chase in DecemberCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott, who has never run more than 46 horses at the festival but is expected to send around 55 challengers across the Irish Sea this year, knows exactly what it takes to win the Gold Cup, having trained Don Cossack to perfection when he took the prize in 2016.

The Cullentra trainer believes last season's National Hunt Chase scorer Galvin has the the right profile for the demands of the 3m2½f test.

"He hasn't done a thing wrong all season," he said. "The one thing you might say about Galvin is that he could lack a gear, but his work since Leopardstown has been very good with two-milers. He's been working well with a few quicker horses and we're very happy with him.

"We know he stays, he's won around Cheltenham twice, relaxes, jumps. If he's within firing distance at the second-last, you know he'll come home strong."

Elliott added: "At the start of the year, you could have questioned if he's that class of a horse. But when horses start winning and know how to win, they can keep coming up through the ranks.

"He showed real grit at Leopardstown and outstayed A Plus Tard. I think he'll outstay them again. He's improving every month and will need to improve again to win a Gold Cup, but he goes there with a real good profile."

American Mike: set to take on Facile Vega in the Weatherbys Champion BumperCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott has never made any secret of his high regard for leading Weatherbys Champion Bumper hope American Mike, who could head to Leopardstown next Monday for a racecourse gallop.

"Jamie Codd rode him in work at Fairyhouse this morning and we're very happy with him," said Elliott. "Anything he's done at home has been very easy and very good. He's probably a little bit like Sir Gerhard, Envoi Allen and Don Cossack in his bumper days. He shows you good signs at home.

"The Champion Bumper has got a lot hotter since Christmas and better horses have come out – obviously Facile Vega sets a very high standard – but I wouldn't swap my lad."

Big-race Cheltenham Festival entries and betting

On the overall strength of his Cheltenham squad, Elliott said: "I think we have a good team. We're maybe a bit light in terms of two-and-a-half-mile and three-mile novice chasers – and we probably don't have anything for the Champion Chase or Stayers' Hurdle – but we'll have runners in most other races. We'll probably have our biggest team numbers-wise."

Elliott also revealed no final decision had been made on whether Grade 1 winner Ginto would tackle the Ballymore or Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, with ground conditions set to play a part in the big-race call.

He said: "Everyone's saying he's a three-miler but I don't think he's a slow as they're suggesting. His maiden hurdle and two Graded wins have come over two and a half miles, and it wasn't ideal making the running last time."

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