Champagne Festival for Gordon Elliott

It was a Champagne Cheltenham for Gordon Elliott as the action concluded today with his sixth winner of the Festival.

The Gigginstown-owned and unfancied Champagne Classic gave the Summerhill man his sixth winner of the Festival when taking the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle with JJ Slevin on board.

Champagne Classic was in the lead at the last and had over two lengths to spare from Verni trained by Philip Hobbs and another Elliott runner, Runfordave in third place.

The victory was also crucial as apart from a sixth winner for Gordon Elliott, it gave him the trainer's title at the Festival for the first time - on countback with Willie Mullins.

And he is still in the lead in the race for the Irish trainers' title with Fairyhouse and Punchestown set to be key factors in the outcome.

Elliott added another €13,000 to his tally today at Down Royal when Roi Des Francs won the Daily Mirror Chase this afternoon.