'I actually thought this horse had a chance' - outsider Stuzzikini gives Gordon Elliott his seventh Troytown winner in last 11 years

Gordon Elliott saddled nine in his attempt to win the Bar One Racing Troytown Chase for the seventh time in the last 11 years. Of his team, only the Gavin Brouder-ridden Stuzzikini reached the frame, but he was also good enough to win, just outstaying the ultra-brave runner-up Lucid Dreams.

When the stable's red-hot 5-2 favourite American Mike floundered from the second-last, the stable's prospects of adding to its roll of honour looked bleak, but Listowel rider Brouder had managed to stoke his mount up enough and he found plenty from the last. 

Elliott said: “It's great to win the race again. I actually thought this horse had a chance and I said so on television yesterday. I thought he had a few pounds up his sleeve because he's a bit of a monkey. 

"It's unfortunate for Danny Gilligan who was meant to ride him. He had to step down after getting a fall at home, but he will have loads of horses to ride in future. 

"But it's great for Gavin Brouder, who has been a bit of a super sub for us in the past. He has been lucky on nearly everything he has ridden for us. He rode him exactly as we told him; he gave him plenty of light and room at his fences.

“The horse was bought by his owner Francis Foran for a bit of craic. He has run in charity races and we use him for a bit of everything. He has been a great fun horse.”

The winner is the first horse owned by his part-owner Foran from Kildare town. He said: “What a day! I nearly fell over coming out of the stands. I wanted a horse to just have a bit of fun with and there is no better man to have a horse with. 

"I have to go back up to the stands to apologise because I think I jumped over about five people, but the first person I met when I got down was Gordon's assistant Aidan O'Ryan, who I went to school with. It was an emotional moment.”

John Ryan, trainer of Lucid Dreams, said: “He was giving over a stone to the winner when you take in the rider's claim, and the weight probably told. 

"I thought Danny [Mullins] gave him a brilliant ride and we could not have asked much more of him. He has an invitation to run in the Howden Silver Cup at Ascot before Christmas and we might be tempted by that.”

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