Grand National contender stars as Elliott completes four-timer

Only one week after Gavin Cromwell's four-timer at Fairyhouse, Gordon Elliott matched the Balrath-based trainer by having a four-timer of his own at Navan on Saturday.

The 1576/1 quadruple brought Elliott up to 17 winners at Navan racecourse for the season and increased his total winners tally to 201.

Three Card Brag earned his ticket for the Aintree Grand National with a win in the beginners chase. Danny Gilligan's mount had bumped into some very talented horses in the past but this time it was the eight-year-old's turn to show off his credentials as the 3/1 shot saw off Tom Gibney's Kinturk Kalanisi. Elliott told members of the press that that he will likely now head straight to the Grand National with Three Card Brag and the Jet Away Gelding is now a 33/1 shot for the big one in Liverpool.

Earlier in the day, Jacob's Ladder was first past the post for Elliott and at odds of 6/1 in the second race on the card. The six-year-old caused something of an upset when he defeated Henry De Bromhead's Forty Coats. Elliott said after the race that Sam Ewing's mount was slow at the last but showed good gears to get past the favourite.

Music of Tara was a good winner of the valuable feature handicap hurdle. Ewing was again on board as the 12/1 shot galloped strongly away from her rivals. Music Of Tara will now head to Huntingdon in three weeks where she will be targeted at a mares-listed race.

Spinningayarn completed the four-timer for the Summerhill man in the concluding bumper. Elliott speculated that the five-year-old may end up in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham for which bet 365 make him a 25/1 shot.