Gordon Elliott

Multiple champion and dual Grand National-winning jockey Davy Russell has confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that he will return to race-riding this weekend to fill the void at Gordon Elliott's stable due to the injury of Jack Kennedy. Kennedy broke his leg for a fifth time in a fall from Top Bandit at Naas on Sunday, leaving Elliott without an established number one with the major spring festivals just over the horizon. That led to growing speculation that Russell, who called time on his glittering career when bowing out...

Gordon Elliott, Barry Geraghty and Charles Byrnes were among those to lead the tributes to Davy Russell, one of the finest National Hunt riders to ever pull on a pair of silks, who retired at the age of 43 after partnering Liberty Dance to victory in the Thurles feature on Sunday.  Russell will forever be remembered for partnering Elliott's Tiger Roll to successive Grand National triumphs in 2018 and 2019. Like those momentous days at Aintree, Russell signed off from the saddle with his customary wave aboard the Elliott-trained Liberty...

One of the most respected racing and bloodstock journalists in Britain and Ireland for over 20 years, Ryan McElligott bid adieu to the press room at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale as he embarked on his new role as Chief Executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association. Admitting there was some emotion surrounding the move, McElligott looks back on over 20 years reporting on the sport he loves and looks ahead to the challenges he faces in his new position as the IRTA chief.  The 41-year-old wears many hats....

Gordon Elliott is readying a three-pronged attack on Royal Ascot, headed by Triumph Hurdle third Pied Piper (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who has the option of running in the Ascot S. or the Copper Horse S.  He may be best known for sending out big-race winners over obstacles, but Elliott has a terrific record at the royal meeting and has won the Queen Alexandra Stakes with Commissioned (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) (2016) and Pallasator (GB) (Motivator {GB}) (2018). What's more impressive is that Elliott has only ever run seven horses at...

Henry de Bromhead celebrated his two Grade 1 winners at Cheltenham this week by adding the top lot of the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale to his string.  The daughter of Pour Moi (Ire), named Kudasheva (Ire), was an eye-catching winner on debut in a point-to-point in Ireland on March 6 and brought a final bid of £370,000. Offered as lot 18 by Pat Doyle's Suirview Stables, the 4-year-old is out of a Hernando (Ire) half-sister to Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack (Ger) (Sholokhov {Ire}). Gordon Elliott will take charge...

CHELTENHAM, UK--It is a rare moment when a beaten horse elicits a more rousing reception than a winner, but then Tiger Roll (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) is the rarest of beasts. An enigma sometimes, but scintillating on his many days in the sun, he retires a proper champion of a horse after giving his all for one final run in relentless rain.  Nobody could claim that the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is a championship race - in fact there are those who call for its exclusion from the Festival - but...

Point-to-pointers proved popular during the one-day Goffs UK Autumn Sale on Thursday, with trade topped by Music Drive (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) (lot 129). Offered by Colin Bowe's Milestone Stables, the 4-year-old Music Drive won a point-to-point at Monksgrange on Sept. 26, and was picked up by Aidan O'Ryan and Gordon Elliott for £90,000. At the close of trade, 113 horses sold (66%) from 170 offered for an aggregate of £1,014,800 that was up 29% on last year. The average jumped 83% to £8,981, while the median climbed 67% to £5,000....

American Mike (Ire) (Mahler {GB}) (lot 8), the 20-length winner of a maiden point-to-point at Cork on Apr. 10, topped the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale relocated to Newmarket on Friday when selling to Bective Stud and Gordon Elliott for £195,000. Elliott, who is currently serving a six-month ban from training after a photo of him sitting astride a dead horse surfaced on social media in March, signed alone or in partnership for three of the top four lots at the sale. American Mike was sold by Monbeg Stables, and Elliott...

Simon McGonagle, head lad to currently disqualified trainer Gordon Elliott, has been banned nine months, with the last seven months of the ban suspended, by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board for taking the photo of Elliott sitting aboard a dead horse that circulated on social media and led to Elliott's own six-month ban. The last seven months of McGonagle's ban will be suspended for a year, after which the disqualification will lapse. McGonagle's ban begins on Apr. 16. McGonagle, who has been employed within the racing industry for approximately 30...

British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Julie Harrington said in a Zoom call with members of the media on Wednesday that she does not anticipate barriers to runners trained by Denise "Sneezy" Foster competing at Cheltenham next week, but that British racing's governing body is seeking clarification from the Irish Horse Racing Board on the conditions of Foster's license. The day after it was announced last week that leading Irish National Hunt trainer Gordon Elliott was banned for a year-with the second half of the ban suspended-after a photo surfaced of...

Trainer Denise Foster will take over the license at Gordon Elliott's Cullentra Stables while Elliott serves a six-month ban handed down by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on Friday after a disturbing photo surfaced last weekend on social media of Elliott sitting astride a dead horse in his care. The news of Foster's takeover was first reported by the Irish Field, with Racing Post later confirming the appointment with Foster. Elliott was on Friday given a 12-month ban, with the last six months suspended, and an order to pay €15,000...

Irish National Hunt trainer Gordon Elliott has said that he is "paying a very heavy price" but that he has no complaints after being handed a 12-month suspension by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), with the last six months of the ban suspended. While it has been announced that the latter second half of the ban has been suspended, it has yet to be announced for how long that suspension would apply and what level of offence would cause it to be triggered. Elliott has not been fined but...