Tag Archive for: Gordon Elliott

Jack Kennedy runs out of time to be fit for Cheltenham Festival

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Jack Kennedy will miss the Cheltenham Festival after losing his race against time to be fit for the showpiece meeting.

Now very much the number one rider for Gordon Elliott, the 23-year-old was in action for his boss aboard Top Bandit when the pair came to grief in a novice chase at Naas in January.

Kennedy was stretchered off the track and transferred to Tallaght Hospital, where it was confirmed he had broken his leg for a fifth time.

Elliott revealed earlier this week his stable jockey was “making good progress” but was still “50-50” to ride at Cheltenham, with a crucial visit to his surgeon Paddy Kenny booked for Friday.

Unfortunately, Kennedy did not receive good news.

The jockey’s agent, Kevin O’Ryan, said: “It (Cheltenham) is just coming too soon. He tried his best, but it’s just coming too soon.

“He is keen to get back as soon as possible, but he is going to give it all the time it needs.

“Hopefully it will be a couple of weeks after Cheltenham.”

Following Kennedy’s injury, three-time champion Davy Russell came out of retirement to fill the void.

Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott will team up again at Cheltenham
Davy Russell and Gordon Elliott will team up again at Cheltenham (PA)

The veteran jockey enjoyed Grade One success at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival aboard the Elliott-trained Mighty Potter, who is hot favourite for the Turners’ Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, but Russell subsequently suffered a heavy fall of his own later that day and has had only two rides since.

However, he has been booked to partner both Fils D’oudairies and Present Soldier for Elliott at Leopardstown on Sunday and is widely expected to be on board the majority of the stable’s leading hopes at the Festival, with Jordan Gainford and Sam Ewing also set to be part of the team.

As well as Mighty Potter, Elliott’s Festival squad includes Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Conflated, Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase market leader Gerri Colombe and Stayers’ Hurdle candidate Teahupoo.

Zanahiyr likely to take on Constitution Hill in Champion Hurdle

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Zanahiyr, who was disqualified from third place behind Honeysuckle in last year’s Champion Hurdle after testing positive for a banned raceday substance, is set to take on Constitution Hill in this season’s renewal.

Trainer Gordon Elliott was fined £1,000 by an independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority after a post-race urine test from Zanahiyr was found to contain 3-hydroxylidocaine, a metabolite of the local anaesthetic lidocaine, the source of which could not be established.

Elliott, speaking at the Cheltenham’s launch of the handicap weights, said he is keen to let him take his chance in the Unibet-sponsored day one feature.

He said: “We’ll probably confirm him for the Champion Hurdle and see what numbers are left in. If there are five or six runners, there is every chance he will take his chance in the Champion and we’ll ride him for a place.

“Obviously it looks a very hot race, with Constitution Hill and State Man and a few others, but our idea is we are going to go.

“We will get a look at all the weights (in other races) and see what’s what. It will probably be by the end of the week before we confirm what is going where.”

Conflated is Gold Cup-bound
Conflated is Gold Cup-bound (Niall Carson/PA)

Conflated is the County Meath-based yard’s big Gold Cup hope, having landed the Savills Chase over Christmas.

He fell in last year’s Ryanair Chase, and while Elliott has no qualms about his ability to handle the course, he feels he is different to Don Cossack, who won the blue riband for Cullentra House in 2016.

He said of the nine-year-old: “We are happy with where we are and really looking forward to it now we are two weeks out – we can’t wait.

“Conflated has had a good preparation. He was very good at Leopardstown the last day and was running a good race in the Ryanair last year.

“He is in good nick. It is a competitive race but an open race and we are looking forward to running him.”

He added: “Don Cossack was probably a classier horse and a quicker horse, where Conflated is a real galloper and the trip of the Gold Cup will really suit him.

“We got him in the wrong race last year and we are really looking forward to the Gold Cup now.”

Owner Michael O’Leary (centre) celebrates in the parade ring after winning the Glenfarclas Chase with Delta Work (left), alongside runner-up Tiger Roll
Owner Michael O’Leary (centre) celebrates in the parade ring after winning the Glenfarclas Chase with Delta Work (left), alongside runner-up Tiger Roll (Steven Paston/PA)

Elliott will have four runners in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, spearheaded by last year’s winner Delta Work, who upset stablemate and dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll 12 months ago.

Elliott said: “Delta Work is in great form. This has been the plan since we brought him over to Cheltenham the last day.

“We are really looking forward to the race, but Galvin is going to run in the race along with Mortal and Hardline, so we are going to have four in that one.

“Delta spoiled the part last year (beating Tiger Roll) but obviously Galvin is a good horse.”

The yard appears to have a strong hand in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle where the Gary Moore-trained Botox Has is top-weight on 12st.

Salvador Ziggy, The Bosses Oscar, Maxxum and Level Neverending are all set to run for Elliott, who said: “Maxxum didn’t get the best of runs the last day. The Bosses Oscar was second a few years ago, he obviously has a bad mark, but we are looking forward to running them.”

American Mike, who was runner-up to Facile Vega in last season’s Champion Bumper, could be a dark horse for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on day two, despite failing to impress on a couple of occasions subsequently.

Elliott feels he could surprise and said: “If he runs, it will be in the Ballymore.

“He has been disappointing, but I wouldn’t give him up on him just yet.”

Three Card Brag, a runaway winner of a Fairyhouse novice hurdle in January, holds several entries in handicaps, but could end up in the Albert Bartlett.

“At the moment we are kind of leaning towards the Albert Bartlett. He is a very good horse and he is going to be an exciting chaser next year.,” Elliott said.

There is no doubting the regard in which Elliott holds Mighty Potter, who is unbeaten in three starts over fences, including twice at the top level. He holds entries in both the Brown Advisory and Turners Novices’ Chase.

Mighty Potter could be a star in the making
Mighty Potter could be a star in the making (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Asked if he could be the best he has trained, Elliott replied: “It is very hard to say. He has done nothing wrong in his career so far.

“I know it is the old saying that when you are jumping hurdles you say you are looking forward to going chasing, but with Mighty Potter it really does look the case.

“He is very good horse. We will be nervous looking at him, because we are really looking forward to him running.”

Though pulled up behind Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last year, Mighty Potter gained Grade One laurels at Punchestown and has been foot-perfect over fences this term.

Elliott added: “He blew out here last year. He made a mistake early and never got into a rhythm. Jack (Kennedy) very wisely eased up on him and saved him and we had a horse for Punchestown.

“He never really jumped a hurdle as well as he did fences.”

Asked for one horse whom he felt was his best chance in one of the Cheltenham handicaps, Elliott said: “Imagine in the Martin Pipe. If he runs, he will have a great chance.”

Elliott anticipating Kennedy fitness update this week

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Gordon Elliott expects to know later this week whether his stable jockey Jack Kennedy will be fit to ride at the Cheltenham Festival.

Kennedy has been sidelined with a broken leg since early January and is in a race against time to make the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds in just over a fortnight.

Following his injury, Davy Russell came out of retirement to fill the void, but he has taken only two rides since suffering a heavy fall at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown earlier this month.

Whether one or both of the two leading riders will be in action at Cheltenham remains to be seen.

Davy Russell steered Mighty Potter to victory at the Dublin Racing Festival
Davy Russell steered Mighty Potter to victory at the Dublin Racing Festival (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Speaking at a press morning at his yard on Monday, Elliott said: “I was with Jack on Saturday night. He went back into hospital and got good news off Paddy Kenny (doctor). He’s in Santry (sports clinic) all this week and is back to Paddy Kenny on Friday. He’ll know on Friday whether it’s yes or no.

“He’s making good progress, but he’s still 50-50. He’d have to be back riding out next week and have a week riding out and have a couple of rides the weekend before and then on to Cheltenham.

“I’m 100 per cent behind him. If he’s back he rides everything as he’s first jockey and if he’s not, we’ll have Davy and Jordan (Gainford) and Sam (Ewing).

“I haven’t spoken to Davy for the last two weeks. If Jack’s not back, the wealth of experience Davy has is unbelievable – he’s worth his weight in gold around there (Cheltenham).”

Sa Fureur has to work to bring up hat-trick at Thurles

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Sa Fureur was made to pull out all the stops to justify cramped odds in the Markaye Contracts Ltd Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles.

The six-year-old was the 5-6 market leader to complete his hat-trick following successive Punchestown wins and provide trainer Gordon Elliott with a third successive victory in this Grade Three contest.

Ridden by Jordan Gainford, Sa Fureur threw down his challenge from the home turn, but 22-1 shot Buddy One proved a willing rival.

There was little to choose between the pair all the way up the run-in, but following a protracted duel the Elliott runner edged it by a short head.

Two came close together on a couple of occasions, prompting a stewards’ inquiry, but the placings remained unaltered.

“I always thought I was getting the better of Jack (Gilligan, on Buddy One) but he pegged me back in the last couple of hundred yards. My horse stuck his head out though and had jumped the last two well, which is very important,” said Gainford.

“He had a nice run the last day in Punchestown and is a horse who doesn’t do a lot when he gets to the front. He is a nice horse for the future and the ground was lovely for him.

“He is a nice big strong horse, will fill out more and get even better.”

Brides Hill after winning at Thurles
Brides Hill after winning at Thurles (Thomas Weekes/PA)

Gavin Cromwell is eyeing a step up to Grade One level for Brides Hill after she opened her account over fences in the Carey Glass Irish EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase.

A three-time winner over hurdles, the six-year-old fell on her fencing debut at Fairyhouse in the autumn and had been placed on each of her three starts since.

She faced a far from straightforward task in this two-and-three-quarter-mile Listed contest, with Cheltenham Festival heroine Telmesomethinggirl the marginal favourite at 6-5 as she aimed to confirm her superiority over Instit (13-8) after finishing first and second at Naas last month.

The familiar rivals turned for home vying for the lead, but 7-2 shot Brides Hill was travelling strongly in their slipstream and quickened away smartly once given her head by Luke Dempsey to score by four lengths, with Telmesomethinggirl beating Instit to the runner-up spot.

Cromwell said: “She got an awful fright when she fell at Fairyhouse and it has taken her a long time to get confidence and, in her races since, she has been slow to warm up over the opening fences.

“She came straight into it today and jumped brilliantly. We had given her a pop this morning, when she was very good, and Paul Carberry actually schooled her on Saturday and got a good tune out of her.

“She isn’t a winter ground mare and is a lovely mare going forward for next year. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world if she didn’t win today as she’d have been a novice for next year, but now the Grade One Boylesports Gold Cup at Fairyhouse is a possibility.”

Queens Brook gets the better of Brandy Love at Punchestown

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Queens Brook justified strong market support and lowered the colours of Brandy Love in the process when winning the Racing TV Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins-trained Brandy Love was the overnight favourite to return to action with a win as the only horse to beat Harry Fry’s Love Envoi to date.

However, the mare much prefers to go left-handed and she found conceding 9lb and race fitness to Gordon Elliott’s Queens Brook a step too far.

As race time approached, Queens Brook’s price contracted until eventually she was sent off the 11-8 favourite and having jumped economically throughout, when she took up the running before turning for home, Brandy Love could not bridge the gap.

Jordan Gainford did not have to get too serious and just kept his mount up to her work to win by four and a half lengths, with Anna Bunina staying on to pip Brandy Love for second.

“She’s very good, her form is rock solid. She enjoyed it around there and I thought from the bend to the last that she picked up very well. It’s nice to see her doing that,” said Gainford.

“That inside track is riding very tight today to be honest. She’s a mare that is consistent and she’s there every day.”

Brandy Love was pushed out to 10-1 from 7-2 for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham by Betfair with the winner trimmed into 8s from 10s.

There was drama in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle which went the way of 66-1 chance Connors Cross.

Noel Meade’s 11-8 favourite Faulty still held every chance on the final bend when slipping up, causing jockey Bryan Cooper to give up his remaining mounts.

“I thought he’d run a lot better in Naas but he actually struck into himself, either going to the start or during the race,” said winning trainer James Fahey.

“I’m delighted for the boys that it worked out. I think they had a few quid on him, he was 100-1 this morning.”

The opening Racing TV Maiden Hurdle was also eventful as Elliott’s 6-4 favourite I Am Fortunata was in front at halfway before running out.

The race went the way of Pat Flynn’s Soldier Solid.

Barry Connell’s good recent run continued when Nine Graces (11-4) won the Racing TV Mares Maiden Hurdle under Michael O’Sullivan.

“We bought her out of a schooling hurdle in Tipperary about two years ago after she ran well in that,” said Connell.

“I ran her in three bumpers, she ran OK the first time, but ran worse the next time and worse the time after. She hated bumpers so we said we’d go back to square on and put her over an obstacle.

“We were getting 8lb from the second and we also had Mikey’s 5lb, so we’re not getting carried away.

“We’ll probably get a handicap mark and see where we are. If she improves a bit further, the mares’ program is there for her.

“The way she attacks the hurdles, I think she could be a graded mare over fences in time.”

Chacun in the frame for Newlands Chase task

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Chacun Pour Soi could bid to get back to winning ways in Sunday’s Newlands Chase at Naas.

Willie Mullins’ multiple Grade One winner is now 11 and has struggled to recapture his former glories this season, coming home a well-beaten third on each of his two starts.

He is one of eight entries in the two-mile Grade Three, with Gordon Elliott responsible for Battleoverdoyen and the novice, Hollow Games.

“Hollow Games is the young horse in the line-up and is still a novice, but we are going to target the spring festivals with him and we decided to give him an entry for this race to give us the option,” said Elliott.

Hollow Games needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Christmas
Hollow Games needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Christmas (Brian Lawless/PA)

“He was very good when he won his beginners’ chase but disappointed us a bit at Christmas, so we’ve freshened him up and he’s ready to go now again. The stiff two miles should play into his strengths, but it looks a good race so we’ll make a call later in the week.”

Henry de Bromhead’s Coeur Sublime is also among the eight entries.

Elliott could also run Found A Fifty in the Grade Two Johnstown Novice Hurdle, which has the potential to be very informative.

“Found A Fifty couldn’t have done any more the last day and we’ve been happy with him since,” said Elliott.

“He is a horse we’re hoping to target at the big festivals this spring, so hopefully he’ll give a good account of himself this weekend and we’ll take it from there.”

Emmet Mullins’ Corbetts Cross, the Mullins-trained Tactical Move and Stuart Crawford’s Lily Du Berlais all hold claims.

As does John McConnell’s Jackpot De Choisel, a wide-margin winner at Ayr when last seen.

“We were delighted with his win at Ayr earlier this month,” said McConnell.

“The plan is to run him in the Grade Two at Naas on Sunday to get another run into him which will be good experience for a young horse. Sunday will be against older and more experienced horses as well, so hopefully that should stand to him and we’ll go to Cheltenham then, all being well.

“He has an entry in the Triumph Hurdle and Sunday should give us a steer towards there or the Boodles at Cheltenham. This will only be his third run, so hopefully there’s more to come from him.”

Elliott backs Delta Work to lead his Aintree charge

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Delta Work – the horse who foiled Tiger Roll’s fairytale farewell at Cheltenham last season – appears to be Gordon Elliott’s main fancy as the trainer seeks a fourth success in the Randox Grand National.

Third to Noble Yeats last April having narrowly played the role of party pooper against his then stablemate in the cross-country chase, the 10-year-old will be heading to Liverpool with experience under his belt this season.

Having run a fine race over the cross-country course in January, he had a spin over hurdles last time out at Navan when sixth to Blazing Khal and he has been allotted 11st 4lb.

“This has been the plan all season. He has a nice weight for the race and I’m happy with that,” said Elliott.

“We just switched him back to hurdles on his last start to sharpen him up a bit as he had gone a little bit rusty. It was a race we had run Tiger Roll in before he went to Cheltenham and then on to Aintree.

“I thought he ran very well in the National last season behind Noble Yeats. He got a little bit far back early on and he had lots to do. Having had that experience over the fences, we go back there with plenty of confidence and we are looking forward to it.”

Coko Beach (11st) bounced back to form at Punchestown last week in a Grand National Trial but, unfortunately for him, the handicapper had time to reassess the winner of that race this year.

Elliott said: “It was a great run to win the Grand National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday. He jumps great and he enjoyed the ground. He will definitely run in the race.

Coko Beach catapulted himself in the Grand National picture on Sunday
Coko Beach catapulted himself in the Grand National picture on Sunday (Niall Carson/PA)

“I thought it was a good run in the race last year when he finished eighth and he is another we are looking forward to taking back over again.”

Galvin (11st 11lb) has not been at his best so far this term but still finds himself towards the head of the weights.

“He started off the season very well winning a Grade Three at Punchestown but his form has just tapered off a bit. He has just had a little procedure done on his back and he is back working well,” said Elliott.

“The plan is to run him in the cross-country race at Cheltenham then on the National. We sort of thought last season that he could be one for the National as we thought he was probably just lacking a gear for races like the Gold Cup and those sort of Grade One races.

“He seems in good form and we are looking forward to running him in the National. I think he will be fine over the fences.”

Conflated is likely to wait until next year's Grand National
Conflated is likely to wait until next year’s Grand National (Niall Carson/PA)

Conflated (11st 12lb) is joint top-weight along with Any Second Now and Hewick, with Elliott feeling he may be more one for next year with the Gold Cup his main aim this season.

“He will go to Cheltenham first for the Gold Cup and we will see from there whether he will be one for the Grand National this season or next season,” said Elliott.

“He would be a very classy horse to have in the race. I could see him being a horse for the National, but it might be a year too early to run him in the race.”

Ryanair Chase-bound Fury Road (11st 6lb) is another unlikely to run.

“He will probably be a doubtful runner I would say at the moment. We will probably just go for the Ryanair and see after that,” said Elliott.

Pencilfulloflead (10st 12lb) is a possible, though, having finished third in the Thyestes last time out.

“He is a good horse and has a lovely weight on his back. He ran very well in the Thyestes the last day. He is good now, but we just had a few issues with him early on,” said Elliott.

“He is sound now and is in good form. He is on the right side of the 11st mark and is exactly in the sort of place where we want to be in the race. He should enjoy a test like this.”

Farclas (10st 10lb), fifth in 2021 as a seven-year-old, is another in the mix.

Elliott said: “He ran well in the race in 2021 when he finished fifth. The plan was to go there again last year but he got a little setback. He has a lovely weight on his back and all being well, he will go back there this year.”

Of Escaria Ten (10st 10lb), ninth last year, Elliott felt he had a nice weight but failed to see the trip out last season while Dunboyne, second in the Thyestes, would be an ideal type for the race but with only 10st, he might not make the cut.

Battleoverdoyen and Death Duty could also take their chances but Elliott feels Ash Tree Meadow will be better off waiting for next year, while Defi Bleu, Gevrey, Milan Native, Punitive, Fakiera and Mortal are unlikely to get in.

Coko Beach is Aintree-bound again following Punchestown win

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Coko Beach looks to have booked a return to Aintree having led home a Gordon Elliott one-two-three in the QuinnBet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown.

Fourth to stablemate Death Duty in this 12 months ago, the eight-year-old went on to finish a well-held eighth behind Noble Yeats in the Randox Grand National two runs later and could now follow a similar path having found the scoresheet for the first time since February 2021.

The classy grey arrived at the Kildare track on the back of a respectable fourth in the Thyestes at Gowran last month and was sent off the shortest of the four Cullentra House representatives at 7-1.

Never far from the pace in the hands of Ben Harvey, he edged his way to the front travelling with plenty of zest at four out.

Sam Curling’s 15-8 favourite Angels Dawn was also moving menacingly into contention and looked a real threat when moving to Coko Beach’s tail three out.

However, the race was soon over as a contest when Angels Dawn unshipped Cian Quirke at the second-last and all that the blinkered Coko Beach had to do was burn off the retreating Stones And Roses and storm up the straight for a commanding five-and-a-half-length success over the defending champion Death Duty, with Defi Bleu the bronze medallist a further half length back.

Both Paddy Power and Betfair went 33-1 from 66s for the Grand National on April 15, and Elliott confirmed Aintree was on the agenda.

He said: “We said we’d ride him a little bit more restrained today, just take our time a little bit more as we’ve been making a lot of use of him lately.

“I thought he ran a good race, he jumped well and he said when he got to the front he didn’t do a stroke. He gave the last a big jump and it’s nice to win it.

“I’d imagine he’ll go to Aintree, there’s not much at Cheltenham for him. I’d imagine they’ll all be heading towards the Nationals, English and Irish.

Coko Beach, here ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr in action during the Randox Grand National in 2022, is on course for a return to Aintree
Coko Beach, here ridden by Jonjo O’Neill Jr in action during the Randox Grand National in 2022, is on course for a return to Aintree (Mike Egerton/PA)

“The winner runs his race all the time and is a grand horse. He finished eighth in the National last year and was right there until the third-last.

“Death Duty ran well, he said he would have been bang there only for missing the fourth- and third-last.

“He’s a good horse but he’s not easy to train”

Fil Dor fends off Sharjah in Gowran Trial

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Gordon Elliott’s Fil Dor made a winning switch to timber when landing the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park.

Ridden by Jordan Gainford, the grey had previously enjoyed a highly successful hurdling career as a four-year-old – finishing second in Grade One juvenile contests at Cheltenham and Punchestown.

A graduation to fences has not been unsuccessful, with the five-year-old a winner on debut and then third in the Racing Post Novice Chase, but he was well beaten by El Fabiolo in the Irish Arkle when last seen.

On his return to hurdles, Fil Dor was a 4-1 shot in a field of six and was in the company of stablemate Doctor Bravo and 4-7 favourite Sharjah turning for home.

The former horse faded after the final flight, leaving Fil Dor to put his head down and hold off Sharjah for a half-length success.

“He is a smart horse who had a little blip the last day over fences and it is great to see him come back and enjoy it,” said Gainford.

“You could scratch his last run as it wasn’t himself and he got into a lovely rhythm out there today.

“He jumped very well and when it came down to the battle, he saved plenty for it.”

Ian Amond, Elliott’s assistant, added: “He didn’t look like he was in love with the fences the last day, so Gordon and Andy (Brown, of owners Caldwell Construction Ltd) decided to come back over hurdles to get confidence back into him.

“He’ll probably stay down the hurdles route now after today and we’ll see what Gordon says about running at Cheltenham.

“There is plenty of time to go back over fences later on but after winning there, you’d be surprised if he goes back over fences this season.”

Janidil landed the Red Mills Chase
Janidil landed the Red Mills Chase (PA)

Willie Mullins’ Janidil was the winner of the Grade Two Red Mills Chase at 7-2 under Rachael Blackmore.

All eyes were on fellow Mullins inmate and 4-6 favourite Haut En Coleurs, with Capodanno also running for the Closutton team.

However, after taking a wide line amongst a field of four, Janidil returned from a significant absence and put two non-completions at the end of last term behind him to prevail by a length and a quarter from the market leader.

Speaking before Shishkin’s impressive Ascot victory, Mullins said: “It was a nice comeback for Janidil and he was straighter than I thought he was. It puts him right in the Ryanair picture I think and he is a little further advanced that I thought he was on his homework. It was a nice surprise.

“It is always nice to win this Red Mills race and we feed nothing else!”

He added “I thought it was a slow enough pace early on and Rachael got a good tune out of him over the last three fences.

“I am happy enough with Haut En Couleurs as well and whether or not he goes to the Ryanair, I don’t know but we’d have to supplement him for it. That is a possible target but we’ll see.

“The trip was too short for Capodanno and I could have waited until next week for the Bobbyjo Chase, but I wanted to get a run out out of the way quicker. He is in the Gold Cup and is also in Aintree (Grand National) so we’ll have a chat with connections and think about it.”

After watching Shishkin’s Ascot Chase demolition, Mullins told Racing TV: “Looking at Shishkin on the TV, that’s got to put him in as (Ryanair) favourite, that was a huge performance.”

Elliott fined £1,000 and Zanahiyr disqualified from last year’s Champion Hurdle

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Gordon Elliott has been fined £1,000 after Zanahiyr tested positive for a banned substance following his third-place finish in last year’s Champion Hurdle.

The six-year-old finished four and a half lengths behind Honeysuckle in the two-mile feature at the Cheltenham Festival, but has been disqualified after a post-race urine test was found to contain 3-hydroxylidocaine, a metabolite of the local anaesthetic lidocaine.

Elliott appeared before an independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority in a remote hearing on Wednesday afternoon, with the BHA contending the Grand National-winning trainer had not taken reasonable precautions to prevent cross-contamination.

A BHA investigation, which included an unannounced visit to Elliott’s County Meath yard, failed to establish the source of the prohibited substance, with potential contamination at the Cullentra stable ruled out while none of the staff who travelled with the team’s horses to the Festival were taking any medication that would have explained the test.

Charlotte Davison, representing the BHA, argued Elliott’s culpability fell into the medium bracket of the penalty guidelines, rather than the low end of the scale, due to “significant failings” in taking precautions.

Zanahiyr has been disqualified from last year's Champion Hurdle
Zanahiyr has been disqualified from last year’s Champion Hurdle (Brian Lawless/PA)

She said “The absence of any training or guidance that was given by Mr Elliott to members of staff about how to reduce the risk of cross-contamination if they were taking medication, the fact there doesn’t appear to have been any such training or guidance in place and that there appears to have been no procedures in place to, for example, allow for members taking relevant medication to notify Mr Elliott, and the fact there were simply no procedures or processes in place the BHA says does amount to significant failings.

“However, these aren’t the most significant failings this panel has ever seen and that is why we have suggested that this falls into the lower end of medium culpability.”

Elliott was represented by Rory Mac Neice, who argued the finding was “something that was entirely separate from and out of Mr Elliott’s control” as the positive test came after horse had been stabled at Cheltenham since March 12, when the positive test was produced following his run on March 15.

Lidocaine has a “detection time” of 72 hours, the hearing was told, which Mac Neice said placed “the overwhelming likelihood” Zanahiyr came into contact with the substance “at some point” during his time in the racecourse stables.

He said: “The horse came into contact with the prohibited substance in an environment Mr Elliott was not in control of. The prohibited substance was not in his own yard, it wasn’t contained in any medication, it wasn’t contained in anything used by his staff.

“The one issue on which the BHA seeks to criticise Mr Elliott is essentially that he had no recording process in place for medication taken by staff. That had no causative effect at all on the adverse finding of this horse. It’s a process the BHA does not require of itself.

“Given those features, the BHA has not explained why it says not having such recording procedures in place amounts to a significant failing, because you have to get to that threshold of significant failing in order to make a finding of medium culpability.”

The panel, which comprised of chair David Fish, Ian Stark and Dr Lyn Griffiths, decided after a short deliberation that Elliott’s offence was at the lower end of the culpability scale and a £1,000 fine was imposed.

Fish said: “Taking into account the mitigating and aggravating features, the panel takes the view that a fine of £1,000 will be imposed and the horse must be disqualified, places will be amended and accordingly prize-money must be returned.”

Written reasons will be supplied in due course, Fish added.