Gordon Elliott off mark at Cheltenham Festival with shock 50-1 Coral Cup triumph

Wednesday: Coral Cup, Cheltenham

Gordon Elliott got back to what he does best at Cheltenham on Wednesday – training winners on the biggest of stages when Commander Of Fleet ran out a 50-1 winner of the Coral Cup.

It was fitting that Elliott’s first winner at this year’s festival carried the maroon and white silks of Gigginstown House Stud, whose Eddie and Michael O'Leary have stuck by the trainer through thick and thin, not that the colours were remotely recognisable in the mud.

Elliott fired seven bullets at the Coral Cup and Commander Of Fleet may well have been one of the more unlikely winners on paper but he was best equipped to deal with the stamina-sapping conditions as he fought gamely under Shane Fitzgerald to hold off the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow.

A rain-soaked Elliott commented: “I’d say the conditions on the day suited him. He loves soft ground. It probably went against a lot of the other horses in the race but it’s brilliant for Michael and Eddie [O’Leary]. Gigginstown have been great supporters of me so to train a winner for them at this year’s Cheltenham Festival is very special.”

Asked what the victory meant, Elliott added: “It’s brilliant. Obviously Cheltenham is a place that has been very lucky for me and I love training winners here. To be back here training winners in front of everyone is great and, as I said already, thanks to all of my owners. Onwards and upwards.”

Elliott was flanked by the O’Leary brothers when interviewed by ITV after the victory. As well as showering Elliott with praise for pulling a rabbit out of the hat with Commander Of Fleet, Michael O’Leary suggested that no amount of magic from the trainer would help Tiger Roll bow out with a victory in the cross-country later today due to the softening ground.

Katie Young (centre) with Eliece Elliott and Catriona Bolger cheer home Commander Of Fleet to win the Coral CupCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

He said: “A winner here is very hard to find and 50-1 winners are even harder to find. Gordon has done a wonderful job with the horse and Shane gave him a wonderful ride.”

O’Leary added: “Like, he’s the third top-weight and the ground is gone, so sadly Tiger won’t enjoy this. But we’ll enjoy this and for Commander Of Fleet to win that off third top-weight was a great performance. Well done to Gordon and to all the team at Cullentra.”

Coral Cup: full result and race replay

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