Gordon Elliott laid down the gauntlet to title rival Willie Mullins after enjoying a staggering six-timer at Navan.
The Cullentra handler began the afternoon almost €400,000 clear of perennial champion Mullins, albeit having saddled over 400 more runners since the season began.
That lead was extended as Elliott incredibly claimed six of the seven races at his local track at combined of odds of almost 41,277-1.
Paddy Power reacted by cutting Elliott to 6-4 from 2-1 to be crowned Ireland’s champion National Hunt trainer for the first time, easing Mullins to 1-2 from 1-3.
“It was one of those days where I thought we’d plenty of chances, but to have six winners is just unbelievable,” said Elliott.
“When everything is going so well you hope that things work out and it’s great.
“Any day you have a winner is great but to have six on one card, I can’t believe it. I had seven winners in a day before between Bellewstown and Perth.
“We’ll enjoy it today. I have a great bunch of staff and good owners but I’ll keep my feet on the ground and hopefully let the results do the talking.”
"I can't believe it" – @gelliott_racing speaks after a spectacular 41,277/1 six-timer at @NavanRacecourse: https://t.co/AbIUOdEVpG
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) November 27, 2016
It is perhaps a measure of where the two dominant stables in Irish jumps racing are at this stage of the season that Elliott saddled a total of 25 runners on the card compared to Mullins’ six.
Elliott sent 11 horses to post in a bid to win the Ladbrokes Troytown Chase for the third successive year and came up trumps as 12-1 shot Empire Of Dirt, a winner at last season’s Cheltenham Festival for the now-retired Colm Murphy, made a successful debut for his new trainer with an impressive success under Bryan Cooper.
Boylesports make Empire Of Dirt a 33-1 shot for the Grand National and Elliott confirmed the Aintree spectacular is now high on his agenda.
He said: “It’s been a lucky race for me and we have won it for the last three years now. It’s the big race at my local track, and to have the first and fourth (Noble Endeavor, 7-2 favourite) is brilliant. It was hard to keep an eye on all the horses!
“We’ll look at the Grand National with him now. That will be his long term aim and he won’t have to do a lot between now and then as he’s high enough (in the ratings).
“He could have a run over hurdles.”
Empire Of Dirt was one of three winners on the card for Cooper, also striking gold aboard 11-10 favourite Death Duty in the ‘Monksfield’ Novice Hurdle and Bull Ride (7-1) in the Davis Civil Engineering Handicap Hurdle.
Death Duty was shortened up for both the Albert Bartlett and the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Elliott said: “He’s a big chaser in the making and will be a nice horse next year jumping fences. He’ll keep to hurdles this year.
“He probably won’t go back in trip and will definitely stay further.”
Jack Kennedy rode two of the stable’s winners.
Brelade hit the target at 11-1 in the I.N.H. Stallion Owners European Breeders Fund Maiden Hurdle, with Mullins-trained 1-3 favourite Battleford a disappointing fourth.
Kennedy doubled up aboard Jury Duty (5-1 joint-favourite) in the Proudstown Handicap Hurdle.
The six-timer was completed in the concluding Coolmore NH Sires European Breeders Fund Mares Flat Race as Three Swallowsnick (13-8) kept her unbeaten record intact in the hands of Jamie Codd.
The only other race on the card went to Mullins as Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner-up Min made a fine start to his career over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase.
The 1-3 favourite jumped well in the main on the way to his 10-length success under Ruby Walsh and he is a best-priced 5-1 for the Arkle Trophy behind his Supreme conqueror Altior at 2-1.
Mullins, Walsh and owners Rich and Susannah Ricci were winning the race for the fourth successive year following the previous victories of Ballycasey, Vautour and Douvan.
Mullins said: “He jumped well and I’m really delighted with him. We can now look forward to his next race, which will probably be at Christmas.
“I’d say he will stay over this distance at Leopardstown (Racing Post Novice Chase).
“I don’t see any need to step up in trip as he’s happy at that distance.”
