Gordon Elliott hoping for magic from Abacadabras as he steps up to staying grade

Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle (Grade 1) | 3m | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTE2/RTV

Abacadabras has won two Grade 1s over two miles and another over two and a half but Gordon Elliott is keen to see what his talented hurdler can do over staying trips.

Elliott has earmarked the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham as the long-term target for Abacadabras and hopes are high as the seven-year-old tackles three miles for the first time.

Having beaten Saint Roi in the two-mile Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown early last season, Abacadabras offered the biggest hope yet that he could develop into a Stayers' Hurdle candidate with victory over Buzz in the Aintree Hurdle over two and and a half miles in April.

Elliott said: "We're trying three miles with Abacadabras and we think it might just suit him. He'll certainly travel into it nicely anyway. If he's able to translate his two-mile or even his two-and-a-half-mile form to this trip, he must have a decent chance."

In his bid for a fifth triumph in this Grade 1, Elliott also runs rock-solid stayer Sire Du Berlais, Commander Of Fleet and Grand Roi.

He said: "Commander Of Fleet put in a big performance in a competitive handicap at Navan last time and deserves to take his chance here on the back of that."

Grand Roi and Sire Du Berlais have contrasting profiles in that the former has plenty to prove over the trip while the latter is tried and tested and always seems to run his race.

On that duo, Elliott added: "Grand Roi will improve for his comeback run and Sire Du Berlais is a very good stayer who always runs well in these top staying hurdles."

What they say

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Flooring Porter
He's in great nick at home. There are no ill effects from his fall at Navan and his work has been very good since. We're really looking forward to running him.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Klassical Dream, Mr Adjudicator, Saldier and Burning Victory
On Klassical Dream's run at Punchestown he's the one, if he can show the form he was in that day. Mr Adjudicator is coming back after more than two years off. It'll be a tough ask for him but I hope he runs well. Saldier got a bang on the way to the start in the Hatton's Grace, so I'd dismiss that run completely. I still think he can be a force at this trip on this ground. Burning Victory's run at Navan disappointed me. I've upped her in grade hoping that she might run a better race with fewer runners. She might be best watched.

Matthew Smith, trainer of Ronald Pump
He never settled in the Long Walk at Ascot, so we've taken the blinkers off him and hopefully he'll relax a little better here. He had been getting lazy in his races, which is why we fitted him with the blinkers in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, and it seemed to work that day but they just sparked him up too much at Ascot. Keith [Donoghue] said he never settled and to take them off him. It's a quick turnaround from Ascot but he seems to be in great order and we’re hoping for the best.

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