'It took us a long time to rebuild' - Gordon Elliott says he has best string in nearly a decade as he readies powerful festival squad

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Gordon Elliott believes he has his best string of horses since his last major assault to dethrone Willie Mullins as Ireland's champion trainer in 2017-18 – and that strength will be reflected at next month's Cheltenham Festival with a squad of up to 50 travelling from his Cullentra House stable.

Following another excellent day at Navan on Sunday, Elliott has moved more than €500,000 clear of Mullins and has his best chance in nearly a decade of landing a coveted first trainers' title. He has been second to Mullins in the championship 13 times, and in each of the last 11 years.

The closest he has come to breaking Closutton's hegemony was in the 2017-18 campaign, when he led by €355,000 going into the Punchestown festival, but Mullins resisted the onslaught and ended up winning by €200,000.

Elliott has maintained his high standards since then, but it seems as though something special has been brewing this campaign as he has saddled more than 150 domestic winners and €4 million in prize-money already.

"I'm just trying to do my best day by day and the best for all my owners and horses," said Elliott. "Is it [the title] something I dream about every day? Yes, it is, but it's a long way away yet.

"We're probably just getting back to where we were in 2017. It took us a long time to rebuild, but that's what we've been trying to do."

Gordon Elliott Cheltenham Festival Stable Tour: 'He's rapid and we haven't had too many quicker than him at Cullentra over the years - it'll take a fair horse to beat him'

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Elliott was crowned top trainer at the Cheltenham Festival in 2017 and 2018 and is set to saddle a huge squad next month, headlined by Brighterdaysahead, Romeo Coolio, Wodhooh, Teahupoo and Honesty Policy.

"We'll have somewhere between 30 and 50 for Cheltenham," he said. "But obviously you have Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown quickly afterwards, so you have to box clever too.

"Last year in the Champion Hurdle, Brighterdaysahead wasn't right. We discovered something after Punchestown and we rectified it. She was beaten after a hurdle in last year's race and I think we might do things differently this time.

"We might stable her outside of Cheltenham, somewhere different. You're always thinking of new things to do. It's obvious really, as she's been to Cheltenham twice and hasn't won."

Romeo Coolio (left): held on from Kargese to win the Irish Arkle

Romeo Coolio (left) edges out Kargese in the Irish Arkle Novice ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He added: "Everything is up in the air with Romeo Coolio [Arkle or Brown Advisory]. I don't think three miles will be a problem; it's just whether it's the right thing to do at this stage of his career. I think he's won two Grade 1s over two miles because of his guts and heart. He's been going as quick as he can three or four out in each race.

"Wodhooh will go straight to the Mares' Hurdle. She's been beaten only once, by Lossiemouth, on her first run in open company. We don't know how good she is.

"Teahupoo is in great form. He's a warrior and has great form around Cheltenham. He sets the standard in the Stayers', while Honesty Policy is the young gun coming up behind him."

Of his novice hurdlers, Elliott said: "El Cairos is very fast and he works very well. I think the Supreme will suit him. I haven't spoken to Michael and Eddie [owners] about Ballyfad yet. My own feeling is the further he goes the better he's going to be, but he has two options.

"Skylight Hustle will go up in trip. He hit the line really well at Leopardstown and I think two miles five will really suit him. You could drop him in and ride a race, especially given he has the class to travel in a two-mile race."

Gordon Elliott has agreed to answer readers' questions in a brilliant Racing Post exclusive to be published just before the Cheltenham Festival. Ask your question here and we will put them to him ready to be published online to Racing Post+ UItimate subscribers on Wednesday, March 4 and in print the following day.

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