Gordon Elliott has conceded the trainers’ title to Willie Mullins despite leading the championship going into the Punchestown Festival.
Elliott leads the championship by €144,010 and yet is second favourite by a wide margin behind Mullins to hold on. Across five days at Punchestown, the riches available for Grade 1 prizes are significant. It is Mullins who holds sway in such races.
For example in the William Hill Champion Chase and Punchestown Gold Cup, the feature races on days one and two at Punchestown, Mullins has a quartet of representatives in each. Both races only possess five runners in total. No horse in either race is trained by Elliott.
If Mullins’ horses all get round in both races, the lead will evaporate. It would take a monumental effort from Cullentra runners to withstand the pressure building from Closutton.
Indeed, Elliott is not even considering the chance of winning a first trainers’ title. Mullins has won the last 18 and a 19th is a formality.
“No, it’s done and dusted. I’m not even thinking about it,” Elliott told the Racing Post. “Genuinely, it won’t even cross my mind this week. We’ve had a phenomenal season and won 11 Grade 1s between the different countries and we can all be proud of what we have achieved.
“If we could pick up an odd Grade 1 this week it would be great, but it’s always hard to beat Willie at Punchestown. It’s bloody hard anywhere, but it’s even harder at Punchestown.”
“We may never see his like again” – Elliott on Mullins
Rather than this week being critical Elliott harks back to the beginning of April as the crucial moment. Though Mullins was already closing in, the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse could have provided a comfortable buffer.
Instead, the race went the way of Soldier In Milan for Emmet Mullins. Nevertheless, Elliott is proud to have competed with Mullins and speaks only in admiration for the Closutton master’s achievements.
“We needed to win the Irish Grand National to have any chance, but we didn’t. It would have made it a little bit more interesting if we had managed to sneak that one but as I said it’s still been a brilliant year and hats off to Willie. He’s a legend and we might never see his like again.”
Elliott will still be looking fro a strong start to the week regardless of the title race. He saddles 15 runners on the opening day, with El Cairos favourite for the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle.