Gordon Elliott's €510,000 purchase Staffordshire Knot finally getting the hang of things with second win in ten days

Expensive purchase Staffordshire Knot is beginning to string some nice winning performances together and added the 2m6f hurdle to his tally with an impressive ten-length success.

The seven-year-old, now running in the colours of Gigginstown, has been generally underwhelming since being bought at the dispersal sale of the Caldwell Construction-owned horses for €510,000 in February last year by his trainer Gordon Elliott.

But after getting off the mark for the first time in 22 months at Punchestown he made it two wins in ten days, both times ridden by Carl Millar.

The 8-13 chance relished the deep, muddy conditions of the race, with the meeting needing to survive a morning inspection, and put clear daylight between himself and his nearest pursuer, the Munster National winner French Dynamite.

“The ground was a big help today,” Millar said. “I know there was an inspection this morning, but I was hoping the rain would keep coming. The class is all there and this year he is more mature. He's always shown plenty of ability to us."

Cromwell strikes at last

Victory for Bridie’s Beau in the 2m2½f novice handicap chase snapped Gavin Cromwell's dry spell of 90 runners over jumps without a win.

With punters wary of the yard form, the six-year-old, twice a winner over hurdles, was sent off at 12-1 but travelled strongly into the straight and put the race to bed under Keith Donoghue.

Gavin Cromwell: back among the winners at ClonmelCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

“It’s nice to get the yard a winner again,” Donoghue said. “There are plenty talking about the form of them. It’s just one of those things. There are plenty of good horses, so it will get going again. That’s probably why we couldn’t be fully confident in this lad coming today. The deeper ground suited him.”

Street on top

The Andy Slattery-trained Parnell Street turned the tables on his Listowel bumper conqueror, That Danny Feeling, in the 2m3½f maiden hurdle, keeping on well under Adam Ryan to score by two and a half lengths.

A half-brother to recent runaway Newbury winner, Twinjets, Parnell Street was stepped up in trip for his second attempt over timber and saw it out well at odds of 100-30. 

“He’s a grand horse,” said Slattery. “We thought he wasn’t right in Listowel, so we were kind of confident he would reverse the placings with That Danny Feeling this time. We'll probably go to Limerick.”

Read next:

Gordon Elliott continues sparkling form as Sean Bowen helps on-fire trainer follow Fairyhouse four-timer with an Ayr treble 

Mange Tout and Koktail Brut put Gordon Elliott in dreamland as trainer lands all four Graded races at Fairyhouse 

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