Elliott excited as jump racing returns in Ireland at Limerick today

The new jumps season in Ireland bursts into life at Limerick
today, seven weeks later than planned but weeks earlier than
some trainers had feared, as finally the summer jumpers get
a chance to strut their stuff.

The big yards are certainly not hanging about as Gordon Elliott could have as many as nine runners across the eight-race card, Henry de Bromhead has six and Joseph O'Brien has five.

"It's brilliant to be back jump racing again and we cannot wait to get going," said an excited Gordon Elliott on Sunday.

He added: "It's been very strange since Cheltenham but all the staff have knuckled down and worked hard, despite the strange times that we were living in. We're sending a big team to Limerick and it would be great to bring a winner home.

"We have a nice team of jumpers for the summer and will target a few of the summer festivals with them. Galway will be the aim for a few and it will be nice to get a few out over the next couple of days and weeks to see where we stand with them."

Limerick: hosts an eight-race card on MondayCredit: Alain Barr

Limerick manager Patrick O'Callaghan is thrilled his track will play host to jump racing's resumption and reports course conditions to be perfect.

He said: "It's another step on the journey. The first step was getting the Flat back and now the next step is getting the National Hunt back. We raced on the Flat last Wednesday and I think everybody who was there bought into the protocols.

"The track itself is in perfect condition. We threw a drop of water on it on Sunday as the forecast was quite mixed and we didn't know how much rain we were going to get. It was better to be safe than sorry. It's in great nick out there and I think all the trainers will be happy with it."

Perhaps the most intriguing race of all at Limerick, where the first of eight races takes place at 4.10, is the second division of the 2m½f maiden hurdle (4.40) where Elliott expects Oak Park to leave his form of last season well behind.

Elliott said: "The ground was terrible when he was a beaten odds-on favourite at Clonmel last time. He hated it, and I think you can put a line through it. He had a good run in Grade 1 company from earlier in the season and we think he's quite a nice horse."

Oak Park's biggest danger would appear to be Pasley from the Joseph O'Brien stable.

O'Brien said of Pasley: "He's in good shape. We think the nice ground will suit him. He ran a nice race on the Flat at the Curragh last time and that should leave him right for this. We're hoping for a good run."

Summer jumpers to follow

Joseph O'Brien
Cerberus

Cerberus is back in work a little bit earlier than some of the other more established types we have. Hopefully he's a jumper to follow through the summer. He was a top juvenile hurdler last season and was second to Allmankind in a Grade 1 at Chepstow over Christmas. He didn't run too badly in the Triumph Hurdle. We think he's a nice horse and hopefully he can pick up a race or two through the summer.

Cerberus and Robbie Power strike in the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse in DecemberCredit: Alain Barr

Gordon Elliott
Galvin

I have a few nice horses earmarked for the summer, and one of the better ones would have to be Galvin, for who we are hoping to have a crack at the Galway Plate. He has got his act together over fences and ran well at Cheltenham when second in the Close Brothers to a nice horse. We think he might be the right type for the Galway Plate and he's in good form.

Galvin: could have a crack at the Galway PlateCredit: Grossick Photography

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