The first consignment of Gordon Elliott runners departed for Cheltenham on Saturday.

Will Apple be walking on Air tomorrow?

Summerhill man Gordon Elliott will have 10 runners on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival (The Festival™ presented by Bulmers) tomorrow, but the stand-out is undoubtedly Apple's Jade in the Grade 1 Unibet Champion Hurdle.
 
Elliott was the Irish Independent Leading Trainer for a second successive year in 2018 with a record eight winners and he has had 22 winners  since getting off the mark with Chicago Grey in 2011.
 
Elliott has a team of "46 or 47" which is the biggest he has brought to Cheltenham.

 "Apple's Jade travelled over on Sunday and was in good form when she went out on the track with the rest of my team this morning," commented the man who won the Meath Sportsperson of the Year award in January.
 
Running through the rest of his first-day runners, he added: 

"Felix Desjy and Vision d'Honneur are both in good form and should run well in the Supreme Novices' and I couldn't be happier with Hardline, which is in very good form for the Arkle.
 
"Northern Endeavour and General Principle (won the Irish National last year), are both in good order for the Ultima, and all of my three in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap have chances in what looks a tough race.
 
"My last runner is Gun Digger in the National Hunt Chase. He disappointed last time but I'm hoping he runs well."

GORDON ELLIOTT CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL WINNERS
2011
   

Chicago Grey - National Hunt Chase
Carlito Brigante - Coral Cup

2013    

Flaxen Flare - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

2014    

Tiger Roll - JCB Triumph Hurdle

2015    

Cause Of Causes - National Hunt Chase

2016    

Diamond King - Coral Cup

Cause Of Causes - Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase
 Don Cossack - Bulmers Cheltenham Gold Cup

2017  

 Labaik -  Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle

 Apple's Jade - OLBG Mares' Hurdle 

Tiger Roll - National Hunt Chase
Cause Of Causes -Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

 Fayonagh - Weatherbys Champion Bumper

 Champagne Classic - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

2018    

Samcro - Ballymore Novices' Hurdle 

Tiger Roll - Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

Veneer Of Charm - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle 

 Shattered Love - JLT Novices' Chase 

 Delta Work - Pertemps Network Final

The Storyteller - Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate

 Farclas - JCB Triumph Hurdle

 Blow By Blow - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle