Suspensions could mean struggle to find 40 jockeys for Aintree Grand National, according to leading trainer
Elliott won the Gold Cup in 2016 with Michael O’Leary’s Don Cossack. And he and the Ryanair boss will again try to land steeplechasing’s Blue Riband with Conflated on St Patrick’s Day.
It’s a tortuous boardroom framework almost perfectly structured to ensure a combustible character like O’Leary goes completely “tonto” as the sport continues to tie itself up in knots of needless red tape. What’s worse is that most jockeys travelling from Ireland haven’t even had the benefit of a bedding-in period to get used to a new whip regime that has been equated to a golfer needing to change their swing on the spot.
“It’s hard to believe. It’s like Brexit coming in. Brexit came in and no one realised what was going to happen and this is what’s after happening here. My biggest worry is for an owner. They pay all the training fees, buy the horse, do everything, and they could win at the Olympics which is Cheltenham and get a race taken off them for doing absolutely nothing wrong,” Elliott added.
His frustration over the issue was obvious, pointing to how “you can drive a lad through the rails and get cautioned” and how “for the Irish lads it’s going to be very tricky” while overall “it’s sad that this is where we are”. Otherwise, the man who turns 45 on Thursday, and whose rise from obscurity is one of racing’s greatest success stories, was in noticeably relaxed form facing into a festival at which he has twice before been leading trainer.
Gerri Colombe is unbeaten and favourite for the Brown Advisory Novice Chase while Mighty Potter is an even shorter market leader for the Turners Chase. Teahupoo is to the forefront of betting for the stayers hurdle while Elliott admits he’ll be disappointed if either Delta Work or Galvin can’t win the cross-country.
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