Favori De Champdou the latest cross-country hero for Elliott and Gigginstown

Gordon Elliott has a return for the Cheltenham Festival and a tilt at the Grand National in mind after Favori De Champdou ran out a decisive winner of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.

The Cullentra House handler has often excelled with his runners in this discipline, with famous Gigginstown House alumni Tiger Roll and Delta Work regularly showcasing their talent around the twists and turns of the Prestbury Park course.

And after being sent off at 9-1 with the burden of top-weight, Jack Kennedy’s mount put his hand up to be another high-class operator in this sphere for the ownership operation of Ryanair supremo Michael O’Leary.

Elliott said: “We brought him over here for the race in December and he fell at the water, but it definitely sweetened him up and he jumped great and did everything right there. It was good to see him enjoying himself.

“He seems to have found a new lease of life and it’s great to win this race again. It’s one that has been close to us and we’ve won it regularly in the past, so it’s good to win it again.

“I thought he was in front plenty soon, but he’s kept on great and I wanted Sean Bowen to ride him but Jack took him off!

“He’ll come back here in March and 100 per cent he’ll be aimed at the Grand National after that.”

Sam Twiston-Davies will soon be back on the Ditcheat roster of jockeys but proved a thorn in Paul Nicholls’ side when lifting Anthony Honeyball’s Jordans Cross home in the nick of time to chin
Quebecois in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase.

This race has proved an excellent guide to the Festival in the past and this third victory of the season for Jordans Cross (7-1) secured his ticket back to Prestbury Park for the Jack Richard Novices’ Handicap Chase in March.

Honeyball said: “He’ll probably be coming back here for the novice handicap chase and next year it will be races like the Great Yorkshire Chase.

“He has stamina and the question he’ll have to answer when he comes back here is does he have the boot when he needs it. At least we know he comes home well and handles this track.”

There was also a nip-and-tuck finish to the Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase where Nigel Hawke’s Donnacha bravely resisted the persistent challenge of Jagwar to score by a head at 12-1.

Hawke said: “It’s been a case of patience, patience, patience with this horse and the owners deserve everything they get as it’s the only horse they have.

“I was always confident we would give Jagwar a battle. He’s been consistent, but we’ve been waiting for this ground and today when he got it, he’s done the job.

“Today was our Gold Cup, now we’ll have to take him home and take future plans from there. We’d have to look at races like the Greatwood Gold Cup (at Newbury) and things like that, but we’ll enjoy today first.”