What Gordon Elliott achieved on Saturday was mind-boggling - and he deserves so much more recognition

Imagine saddling six winners on a seven-race spread at Leopardstown that included a couple of Group races and it being only the second-best single-card training feat of the day by an Irish trainer.

That's the curious fate that befell Aidan O'Brien on Saturday. While all eyes were on Champions Day at Ascot, the Ballydoyle maestro's team were tearing it up back home, with the talented claimer Jack Cleary bagging a four-timer for his boss to thrust himself into contention for the apprentices' championship and Ronan Whelan continuing to make the most of his fully deserved opportunities to secure another double for O'Brien. 

Hard as it is to believe, 13 years have now passed since Whelan was crowned champion apprentice himself. Back then his association with Jim Bolger drove his initial ascent and, while he has continued to develop as an excellent pro since, he has at times been unfortunate in the sense that some of his best supporters have either scaled back or quit training altogether.