Gordon Elliott considering maiden route for El Cairos

Gordon Elliott could skip the Dublin Racing Festival in favour of a maiden hurdle with his exciting novice El Cairos.

Bought out of the David Maxwell dispersal sale for £410,000 in October, he was on the way to opening his account over hurdles at the first attempt at Leopardstown over Christmas when he stumbled and fell after jumping the last flight.

Fifth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and second at the Punchestown Festival for previous connections, Elliott has him entered in a Grade One at Leopardstown but could keep things low-key for now.

“I’m not saying he’s not going to go, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he goes for a maiden hurdle on the Monday or Tuesday after Leopardstown,” said Elliott.

“I always feel that a horse who had a fall like that, to go straight into Grade One company, if they jump slow at one or two it’s all over, so he could go for a maiden and then to the Supreme Novices’.

“He did a serious bit of work the other day, he was going to win well at Leopardstown and he was just unlucky.”

El Cairos had been ante-post favourite for the Supreme before Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star impressed at Haydock on Saturday.

Another missing the DRF is Honesty Policy, narrowly beaten in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on his only run so far this season.

“He might go for the Boyne Hurdle at Navan if it’s not bottomless ground and then on to the Stayers’ at Cheltenham,” said Elliott.

“He came out of Ascot very well. If there was a race at the DRF I’d love to be going there with him, but there isn’t so we’ll either go to the Boyne or straight to Cheltenham.”

As for 2024 Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe, Elliott is hoping to spark him back to life back over smaller obstacles after a lacklustre return from injury over Christmas in the Savills Chase.

He said: “He’s going to run in the Galmoy and wear cheekpieces. He seems well at home and he’s in good form but the ground was good at Leopardstown and Jack (Kennedy) just thought he backed off a little bit.

“I told him not to knock him about and he’s come out of the race fine, he had a full MOT at the vets so we’ll go back over hurdles and see if we can get his spark back. Whether he’s still going to be a Gold Cup horse or not I don’t know, or an English National horse down the road.”

Wodhooh is heading straight to Cheltenham for the Mares’ Hurdle while Oldschool Outlaw, who beat Bambino Fever, will contest the Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.