Leading Arkle fancy Firefox set to spearhead 'exciting' team of novice chasers for Gordon Elliott

Firefox, the only horse to have beaten Ballyburn, is set to spearhead what Gordon Elliott has described as an “exciting” team of novice chasers from his stable for the season ahead, with the trainer hoping the six-year-old might develop into a live Arkle candidate.

Back in July, Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary said their star mare Brighterdaysahead would be sent straight over fences this season, and she is set to be joined by a whole host of exciting stablemates who are also going down the novice chasing route.

Firefox is no bigger than 8-1 second favourite for the Arkle, and only 6-1 with BoyleSports and Paddy Power, after finishing runner-up to Mystical Power in Grade 1 novice hurdles at the Aintree and Punchestown festivals in the spring.

Elliott said: "Firefox is definitely heading straight over fences this season and I've always thought he was a proper chaser in the making. You'd like to think he's the sort who could do well this season and, if he stayed in one piece, he might end up having a live chance in the Arkle.

“He has some really good form and I hope we haven’t seen the best of him yet. Things just didn't go his way in the Supreme, he was a bit unlucky not to finish closer, but he ended last season with two good, solid runs at Aintree and Punchestown. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”

Farren Glory: something of a forgotten horseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Farren Glory has become something of a forgotten horse, probably because we have not seen him since February, but Elliott has high hopes for him this season and he, too, will be sent novice chasing.

The seven-year-old won the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse last December and looked set to add another top-level success to his CV in the Formby Novices' Hurdle, formerly known as the Tolworth, at Aintree over Christmas only to crash out at the second-last when travelling best of all.

Elliott said: "Farren Glory is a fair horse and he's unlucky not to have won two Grade 1s already. He looked like he might win at Aintree when he came down. The plan is fences for him as well and he's one to look forward to. I like him."

King Of Kingsfield, runner-up to Farren Glory in the Royal Bond, is also going over fences, as are last season's Martin Pipe winner Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story, who lunged late to land the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival under Sam Ewing.

The Gigginstown pair Search For Glory and Croke Park also have novice chasing on their agenda this season.

Gordon Elliott: "It looks like a strong and exciting team"Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"It looks like a strong and exciting team," Elliott said of his novice chasing squad. "We have a few lovely ones to go to war with over fences, and there are quite a few of them in there who we think will do better over fences than they did over hurdles.

“We have a nice spread of two-milers and stayers so I can't wait to start getting them out and running in beginners' chases. You'll be seeing plenty of them out in the next four or five weeks."

A decision has yet to be made on whether last season's Champion Hurdle runner-up Irish Point will join the novice chasing team, or whether he will be kept over hurdles for another season.

Irish Point is 12-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle, a race for which his stablemate and last season's winner Teahupoo, also owned by Brian Acheson's Robcour operation, is 9-4 favourite.

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