Hardy Elidor puts off retirement with successful return

Owners Jon and Julia Aisbitt entered the course with thoughts of retirement for handicapper Elidor but left with just shy of £50,000 after Mick Channon’s stayer bounced back to form in the 1m6f handicap.

Paddy Power and William Hill cut the six-year-old to 14-1 (from 20) for the Betfred Ebor on August 20 following his game neck success over Qewy, whose rider James McDonald was hit with an 11-day whip ban.

Elidor pulled up sharply after the line in this race last year – with connections fearing the worst – but he showed no ill effects on his return to the West Sussex track to tee up a tilt at the historic York handicap.