34 winners in 24 days - Elliott hot streak continues with quickfire 33-1 treble

Thursday: Thurles

A 33-1 treble in the opening three races means that Gordon Elliott has now trained 34 winners in November and there are still three meetings left before the month draws to a close.

Jack Kennedy was on board all three and brought his own tally to 61 for the campaign. He is now 24 winners ahead of his nearest pursuer Danny Mullins in the jockeys' title and 28 in front of five-time champion Paul Townend.

A first title may be a long way down the road for both trainer and jockey, but the first few miles of the journey could not be going any better.

The Elliott-Kennedy three-timer began with The Goffer in the opening 2m6f beginners' chase, a polished performance which was more emphatic than the two-and-a-quarter-length winning margin gives him credit for. Elliott was thrilled with his jumping in comparison to his chase debut at Cork last month.

Arctic Ambition was snapped up from the Robert Tyner stable by the Go Go Go Partnership and he made it second time lucky for Elliott in the 2m6f handicap chase. The 6-4 favourite was well on top at the line and his hurdles mark of 86 – 10lb lower than the rating he was winning off here – certainly catches the eye.

The final leg of the treble arrived in the 2m7f novice hurdle as Favouri De Champdou justified 11-10 favouritism in the manner of a smart sort.

The lightly raced seven-year-old beat Cesarewitch winner Run For Oscar in a bumper at Thurles back in 2020 and is now 3-3 at the track.

Favori De Champdou and Jack Kennedy (left) hold off Harry Des Ongrais in the 2m7f novice hurdle, completing a treble for the jockeyCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott has a handicap hurdle at Navan on his radar for Favouri De Champdou, admitting that he shows a lot more away from home than he does in Cullentra.

Speaking of his red-hot form, Elliott said: "The horses are running well, they're fit and healthy and things are going well. Long may it continue.

"We're looking forward to the weekend and hope to run some nice horses at Navan on Sunday. It's my local track and Troytown day is always a big one for us."

Temps 20-1 for Supreme

It was about time Il Etait Temps won a race, wasn't it?

Gary O'Brien, the highly respected Racing TV presenter, picked the four-year-old as his horse to follow at the start of the jumps season and, while the 1-7 favourite was entitled to win the qualified riders' maiden hurdle in the manner he did, it seems likely he will be a player in the Grade 1 novice hurdles this season.

The classy Il Etait Temps finally gets off the mark in the 2m maiden hurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Once he learns to settle better he is going to be a major force as a hurdler," said O'Brien in justifying his choice for the campaign, and he relaxed a lot better than usual out in front in the hands of Patrick Mullins, who barely had to move a muscle in securing a ten-length victory.

He was cut to 20-1 (from 25-1) by bet365 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle but, of course, his trainer Willie Mullins has the red-hot favourite for that in the shape of Facile Vega.

Results, replays and analysis

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