Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup |
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| Grade 1, Leopardstown 15:15 €250,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1  |
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1 Conflated 18/1
2 Minella Indo 11/2
3 Janadil
7/1
8 ran Distances: 6½l, nk, 5½l
Time: 6m 20.40s (slow by 35.40s)
Backed in to 18/1 from 50/1, the fact that Conflated won the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup for @gelliott_racing Elliott and @_Davy_Russel_ was probably not that much of a surprise to many! pic.twitter.com/3nsMjaa6Z6 https://t.co/43grKcvZaC via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) February 6, 2022
Backed in to 18/1 from 50/1 yesterday, Conflated winning for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell was probably not that much of a surprise to many.
Winner of a handicap last time out, he handled the step up to the highest level with aplomb.
Never far away from Frodon and Kemboy who set the pace, Conflated took over before the turn for home and held off Minella Indo, who looked much more like his old self, with Janadil in third.
Russell said: “I’m very surprised, but Camilla (Sharples, travelling head girl) warned me every step we took when I got on his back, she said ‘I’m keeping the faith, this fellow is going to run a big race’. That gave me confidence going out.
“He jumped super and did everything really, really well. He jumped straight as a die, he can hang a bit but nothing today.
“It was either one or the other – I was either gone too soon or they would never catch me. To be fair to the horse, he kept responding. The more I pulled out of him, the more he responded.”
Elliott said: “He got into a lovely rhythm. I was keen to run him (in this) during the week, we were thinking of going for a handicap, but thankfully Eddie and Michael (O’Leary) let me run him in this.
“I wanted to find out where I was going, how good or bad he was. I know he’s a horse with a massive engine, but he can be very hot and cold.
“It’s great for Michael and Anita, and the whole team in Gigginstown and all the team at Cullentra. We have a massive team behind us and to win a race like this is unbelievable.
“We’ve had three seconds today so to win a Gold Cup now has just made up for it.
“I said to Eddie before the race that he’d either win or pull up and thankfully he won.”
Looking towards future targets, Elliott said: “We’ve got the Gold Cup, the Ryanair and he’s in the Grand National. We’ll have a chat with Michael and Eddie and myself and Ryan (McElligott) and Lisa (O’Neill) and the whole team.
Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1)
3m, €250,000 guaranteed
8 ran
Going: Yielding
1 Conflated 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 18/1
2 6½ Minella Indo 9 11-10 Henry De Bromhead Robbie Power 11/2
3 nk Janidil 8 11-10 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 7/1
4 5½ Asterion Forlonge 8 11-10 W P Mullins B J Cooper 5/2F
5 nk Kemboy 10 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend 3/1
6 3 Delta Work 9 11-10 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 12/1
7 5½ Frodon 10 11-10 Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost 11/2
UR Cilaos Emery 10 11-10 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 50/1
