Elliott lands the Gold Cup at Leopardstown

The Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown was billed as Gordon Elliott v Willie Mullins - the weekend the big guns showed what they are made off and while day one got off to a dream start for Mullins it was the Longwood-based Summerhill man Elliott who stole the headlines as his charge Conflated won the big race on the card, the Grade One Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

Mullins won the opening three races with Minella Cocooner (11/1), Vauban (9/4) and Blue Lord (5/2), and also took the last with Facile Vega (8/11f) but after Trim man Tony Martin stopped the Mullins runaway train when he sent out Good Timne Jonny to win the Handicap Hurdle (Grade B), it was over to Elliott and Davy Russell to claim the big race on the card.

Conflated turned the formbook upside down with a power-packed effort to see off Henry DeBromhead's Minella Indo as Mullins' horses finished third, fourth and fifth with elliott's next best, Delta work in sixth.

On his last start, Clonfated landed the Grade B Foxrock Handicap Steeplechase in Navan by five lengths in December which earned him a raise to a mark of 157 which was comfortably the lowest rating in this eight-runner field.

The fact he was racing off level weights against the 175-rated Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Minella Indo and Asterion Forlonge, Frodon, Kemboy and Jaanidil who were all rated well into the 160s made it a stiff task on paper, but he was well supported moving from a best price of 40/1 down to an SP of 18s.

Russell tracked Frodon and passed three out. From there, he was clearly on good terms with as he tanked along after the next where he really put the squeeze on as he bounded clear approaching the home bend.

The eight-year-old Yeats gelding was still blasting away before the last and Russell put on the squeeze in the run-in as a staying-on Minella Indo began to reduce the deficit.

However the pair held on to win by six and a half lengths from the 11/2 runner-up. Janidil was a neck back in third at 7/1. Asterion Forlonge (5/2f) finished out of the places in fourth.

"I'm very surprised but Camilla (Sharples, travelling head girl) warned me every step we took when I got on his back, she said 'I'm keeping the faith, this fellow is going to run a big race'. That gave me confidence going out," said Russell.

"He jumped super and did everything really, really well. He jumped straight as a die, he can hang a bit but nothing today.

"It was either one or the other - I was either gone too soon or they would never catch me. To be fair to the horse, he kept responding. The more I pulled out of him, the more he responded," concluded the jockey.

Elliott was delighted with the performance and was full of praise for his owners Eddie and Michael O'Leary of Gigginstown House Stud.

"He got into a lovely rhythm. I was keen to run him during the week, we were thinking of going for a handicap, but thankfully Eddie and Michael (O'Leary, Gigginstown) let me run him in this,2 said the Summerhill man.

"I wanted to find out where I was going, how good or bad he was. I know he's a horse with a massive engine but he can be very hot and cold. It's great for Michael and Anita, and the whole team in Gigginstown and all the team at Cullentra. We have a massive team behind us and to win a race like this is unbelievable.

"We've had three seconds today so to win a Gold Cup now has just made up for it. I said to Eddie before the race that he'd either win or pull up and thankfully he won.

"We've got the Gold Cup, the Ryanair and he's in the Grand National. We'll have a chat with Michael and Eddie and myself and Ryan (McElligott) and Lisa (O'Neill) and the whole team.

"He jumps a bit left so we said we'd go down the paint today and he actually had loads to room down there so it worked out grand.

"I thought it was going to be one of those days but the only thing I had in my head was at least the horses were running well. If they had been second last my head would have been on the ground.

"It's a testament to the team the way the horses are running. Today has been Willie's day and we were picking up the pieces so it was just nice to pick the Gold Cup up.

"If you told me this time last year I wouldn't have been in Cheltenham I would have laughed at you and if you asked me last September if I would have the team of horses I have now I would have laughed at you as well.

"It's a testament to the owners and the team I have in the yard," concluded Elliott.

Tony Martin's winner, Good Time Jonny came after a patient ride from Kevin Sexton to land the €100,000 handicap.

Good Time Jonny was nudged along from mid-division to improve before the penultimate flight, where he raced around off the home bend in sixth in his pursuit of leader, and last year's winner, Maze Runner.

The leader gave best before the last as Rightplacerightime and Ballywilliam Boy duelled at the lead of affairs. Good Time Jonny made stealthy headway to jump it in third. He then landed in second when Ballywilliam Boy got it wrong.

Rightplacerightime tried to go for home but Good Time Jonny claimed him in the closing stages to go on by a length and three parts at 17/2.

"That was brilliant, very sweet. That's what it's all about, having days like this with the people that are involved," beamed Martin afterwards.

"Touch wood the horses are running very well and we'll make hay while the sun shines. He had a few hiccups and last year he missed a lot of time. He's after coming good and showing his worth now.

"We always thought this would be his job down the road. He won't go to Cheltenham, definitely not. He was there in November, it didn't work out and he didn't like it. I might go to Liverpool or Fairyhouse with him. Today was the plan for a long time," concluded the trainer.