No grounds for concern says Elliott as top trainer defends Navan surface

Short-term pain for long-term gain. That was the view of Gordon Elliott, who defended the groundstaff at Navan despite 36 non-runners, the vast majority of which were down to the ground changing from good at declaration time to good to firm, good in places by the off of the first jumps race at the track this season.

Elliott was keen to stress that extensive watering would have consequences for the remainder of the season at one of Ireland's busiest jumps tracks through the winter.

"You've people giving out about the ground and saying this and that but you're coming to Navan knowing what it is," he said. "Navan do a wonderful job and you don't want to see them putting loads of water on the ground as we'd be feeling the consequences of that all winter. If you don't want to run your horses, take them home."