Double up for Elliott as Commander scores

After two seconds and a third on day one of the Cheltenham Festival Gordon Elliott made it a double on day two when Commander of Fleet scored in the Coral Cup and Delta Work edged out the great Tiger Roll in the Cross-Country.

Elliott's second place frustrations looked like continuing in the opening race when Three Stripe Life had to settle for second place behind the 8/11 favourite Sir Gerhard in the Ballymore Novices. Trim trainer Tom Gibney saddled the fifth place finisher Hemlock at odds of 200/1.

In the second race on the card Farouk D'alene looked well placed just two and a half lengths off the front when he fell two out leaving the way clear for L'homme Presse to land the Novice Chase with Noel Meade's Beacon edge last of the seven finishers. John McConnell's Streets Of Doyen pulled up after the 14th obstacle.

Then it was third time lucky for Elliott as Commander of Fleet, one of his seven entries in the race, landed the Coral Cup at odds of 50/1.

Elliott's charge got up on the line in a thrilling, head-bobbing finish under a well-judged ride from 5lb claimer Shane Fitzgerald.

The winner was one of the few guaranteed to enjoy the testing ground and big field, having won a 23-runner handicap at Navan in early December.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Ashdale Bob set sensible fractions in front for the conditions and was still going well in front turning for home, jumping the last three lengths clear of his 22 rivals.

However, the stamina-sapping ground proved his undoing. Jack Foley’s mount tired soon after, as Fastorslow and Commander Of Fleet bore down on the seven-year-old, who faded quickly, eventually finishing third, a further five and a half lengths behind the front two in the two-miles-five-furlong contest.

Darragh O’Keefe’s mount looked to have got the better of the scrap to the line and in a titanic battle, briefly got his head in front, only for Commander Of Fleet to get his head down when it mattered to score by a short head.

“It’s great to train any winner here, especially for Gigginstown and it’s great for everyone in the yard," said Elliott with a sense of relief after landing his first winner.

“It might not have been one we were expecting but that is the game we are in, they are mostly running well. I often get to Thursday with no winner so we weren’t panicking.

“I’d say the ground made the difference to this lad, and he was handy throughout. A lot of my others just couldn’t handle the ground.

“The winner is obviously a good horse on his day. I don’t know much about the jockey, but he’s had a few winners for us and seems a nice fella.

“Every winner I train is important, whether it’s here, Tramore, Downpatrick, I’m in this game just to train winners.”

Owner Michael O'Leary was equally delighted with the win and praised Elliott and his team at Cullentra.

“It was marvellous performance under that weight on ground that has gone very soft now. It was a great ride from Shane. I thought he had him in the right position the whole way round and he battled on up the hill," said O'Leary.

“I think it’s testament to not just Gordon but the whole team in Cullentra. They had a tough year last year, but they’re back here with lots of good horses. The team work incredibly hard and this vindicates the hard work they put in last year.”

After securing his first winner and then landing a one-two with delta work and Tiger Roll in the Cross-Country it was back to unfortunate second placed finished as Andy Dufresne had to settle for second behind Global Citizen in the Challenge Cup and then Bective Stud's American Mike had to be content with runner-up behind Facile Vega in the bumper.

However with four second and two winners Elliott and his Cullentra team can be happy with a great days work...now on to day three tomorrow.