Rampant Gordon Elliott opens Down Royal with four straight winners - can he go through the card on Saturday?

Gordon Elliott dominated the opening day of Down Royal's rearranged two-day meeting on Friday, winning six of the seven races, and is once again threatening to go through the card after Gerri Colombe's thrilling victory in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase brought up his fourth straight victory.

Odds-on shot Wodhooh prevailed after a back-and-forth duel with the Joseph O'Brien-trained Cossack Chach in the opening 3-Y-O hurdle before the JP McManus-owned Down Memory Lane strolled to an easy victory in the 2m1f maiden hurdle.

The third leg was where the potential seven-timer could have become unstuck with none of Elliott's three runners in the top two in the betting, but McManus's green and gold colours were to the fore again as Magic Tricks got the job done in impressive style under 7lb claimer Carl Millar.

Gerri Colombe looked beaten in the Champion Chase as Envoi Allen and Conflated, also trained by Elliott, battled it out, but the huge stamina reserves of the dual Grade 1-winning novice kicked in as he roared into the lead in the final strides.

The Cullentra trainer's dominance has also extended to Gowran Park, where Harmonya Maker and Nathan Wells have given him a double on the card.

Can Elliott go one better than Friday and make history by going through the Down Royal card? Here are the runners he is relying on . . ..

racingtv.com/freetrial Chase (Grade 2, 2.55)

Ash Tree Meadow: makes first start since landing the Galway PlateCredit: Caroline Norris

Ash Tree Meadow's task has been made more straightforward by the withdrawal of Grade 1 winner Feronily. Elliott's Galway Plate winner is rated 5lb superior of sole rival Visionarian, yet receives 3lb from Peter Fahey's course winner. Ash Tree Meadow beat Visionarian by 11 and a half lengths the last time they met and he should confirm that Galway Plate form and take the match race.

Ash Tree Meadow14:55 Down Royal

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Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Eventsec Handicap Chase (3.28)

Reddys Island improved for stepping up in trip when second at Downpatrick last month. That was the six-year-old's first start in a handicap over fences and she should be winning races this season, but this looks a tough assignment. The presence of the five-timer-seeking Cave Court and Listowel winner Harvey's Quay means that Reddys Island is the most likely to foil Elliott going through the card, especially as she is 1lb wrong at the weights.

Reddys Island15:28 Down Royal

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Jky: Sam Ewing Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Ladbrokes (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race (4.00)

The only occasion when Elliott did not win this bumper in the last ten years was when he didn't have a runner in 2014 and Cleatus Poolaw is likely to make it nine in a row for Cullentra House. Harry Swan helped Firefox justify a very short price in Friday's bumper and he should do so again on the Gigginstown-owned stablemate. The Fairyhouse point-to-point winner was beaten by The Jukebox Man in his first point, but the winner has advertised the form well since being bought by Harry Redknapp. Now in training with Ben Pauling, The Jukebox Man comfortably won a Ffos Las bumper from which the fourth, Insurrection, made an impressive hurdling debut at Exeter on Friday. Pay The Tab can't trouble his stablemate on the basis of his first run but his rider Finbarr Brickley has won bumpers on 25-1 and 7-1 shots from four rides this season.

Cleatus Poolaw16:00 Down Royal

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Jky: Mr H C Swan (5lb)Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Pay The Tab16:00 Down Royal

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Jky: Mr F D Brickley (7lb)Tnr: Gordon Elliott

Read these next:

'The winner will know they've had a race' - Gordon Elliott sends Gerri Colombe on road to Gold Cup in hot Champion Chase 

Galway Plate hero Ash Tree Meadow faces a sole rival as injury rules Feronily out of Grade 2 

Red-hot Gordon Elliott completes sensational six-timer - but 18-1 shot denies him chance to go through the card 

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