Gordon Elliott: My thoughts on Shrapnel at Downpatrick today

Shrapnel races at Downpatrick today

After an excellent Easter period for the yard, culminating in a memorable victory for Realt Mor in the grade one Powers gold cup at Fairyhouse on Sunday, Gordon sends one runner to Downpatrick on Thursday, where Shrapnel looks to follow up on a decent second in a listed hurdle at Naas in March. Read the Cullentra House maestro's exclusive views on the chances of his sole runner here...

Wednesday

16.05 Downpatrick - Shrapnel

This is a race that we took last year with our 2010 Ebor winner Dirar, so hopefully our good luck can continue today. On the strength of Shrapnel's last performance, when 2nd of 10 runners behind Timothy Doyle's improving sort Mallowney at Naas in the listed Kingsfurze novices' hurdle in March, I'd like to think he comes here with a very strong chance. He was only beaten 1 lengths that day, and the drying ground here today should help him over a trip of 2m2f which looks ideal. 

Willie Mullins' Rattan looks the one beat, and if he manages to reproduce some of his old form he could be very hard to get past, but our horses have been in tremendous form of late so I'd be very hopeful he could put it up to him. Bar his disappointing run at Clonmel behind Inish Island in February, he has been a very consistent horse this season, and his rating over hurdles has risen from 111 last October to 144 now, which is a testament to his season long improvement. Davy Russell has won on him both times under rules up to now and he is booked to take the ride again, and with a lot in his favour I'm hoping for a big run.