Wodhooh lifts Mares’ Hurdle prize for Elliott

Gordon Elliott got off the mark at the Cheltenham Festival when Wodhooh justified favouritism with a game display in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

The six-year-old won the last race of the meeting, the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, 12 months ago and proved a welcome tonic for her handler once again after some disappointing reversals in the opening two days of the meeting.

Sent off the 5-6 market leader in the hands of Jack Kennedy after two impressive victories this term, she demonstrated her class to hold off last year’s runner-up Jade De Grugy up the run-in and strike at the highest level for the first time.

Elliott said: “It’s hard to have winners here, the ball just wasn’t bouncing, but thankfully we’re on the board now. I’m delighted for myself and staff and my owners.

“The race worked out great and Jack gave her a peach. She idled a bit up the straight but she picked up again and she’s something else.

“It’s hard to know how good she is as she doesn’t do anything fancy at home, but we’re lucky to have her.

“She could go to Aintree, she ran well there last year (second to Lossiemouth).”

On whether the Champion Hurdle could be on the agenda in 12 months’ time, the trainer added: “We’ll enjoy today and see what happens. My own feeling is she probably needs two and a half miles, but you never know.”

Paul Townend was not making any excuses for the runner-up Jade De Grugy, saying: “After I nearly fell off her at the first I was happy enough with where I was. I thought I hit a little flat spot at the top of the hill but it didn’t bother me that far out as I wasn’t going to take Jack on out there.

“I think she’s run an absolute cracker and we’ve been beaten by a very good mare. I don’t think any of us really know how good Wodhooh is, but I’m delighted with how ours ran.”

Paul Nolan was proud of the performance of Feet Of A Dancer to finish third.

He said: “What a run! I just thought turning in we might have a chance as she’d jumped brilliant.

“Our plan was to try something different and track Wodhooh in case she idled in front and we might be able to come with one run, but ours just wants three miles now – she doesn’t have that pace and the other two pulled away up the hill.

“They were just going half a gear quicker than she’d like the whole way but what a little mare and now she’s Grade One placed.

“At the end of the day if Wodhooh or Jade De Grugy ran in the Stayers’ Hurdle with the allowance, they would be high up in the betting – the winner could be Quevega stuff.

“I don’t know if we’ll go to Punchestown as she’s had a hard race there and we’ll have to see how she is, but she’ll be back next year.”