Gordon Elliott enters the record books with a magnificent Navan seven-timer

Saturday: Navan

Gordon Elliott created history at Navan on Saturday when he became the first trainer to saddle seven winners at one meeting in Britain or Ireland.

The 37,382-1 seven-timer eclipsed the record of six winners at one meeting which he shared with Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls.

Elliott had set the previous record of six at one meeting in Ireland on Troytown Chase day at this venue in November 2016. That record was equalled by Willie Mullins on the Wednesday of the Punchestown festival in 2018. The only case of six winners at one meeting in Britain was by Paul Nicholls at Wincanton in January 2006.

Several trainers, including Martin Pipe, have had more than seven winners in one day at multiple meetings, the world record being held by Michael Dickinson with 12 winners at six meetings on December 27, 1982.

"Sod's law that this is the one that will be beaten," said Elliott before 10-11 favourite Itswhatunitesus lined up for the concluding bumper. It didn't happen as Jamie Codd guided the newcomer to a smooth success for the seven-timer.

Reflecting on an incredible success, the trainer said: "It's been a great day with a lot of young horses and this is the product of a lot of rebuilding.

"We love coming to Navan, we've been very lucky here and I think it's one of the best racecourses in the world, never mind Ireland. The best horse normally wins and there are no excuses."

Asked to put the day into perspective after the roller-coaster year he has both enjoyed and endured, Elliott said: "It's unbelievable and a day I'll never forget, and after the year we have had this is very special.

"It just shows what it means to my staff, my owners and all my friends here. I'm back doing what I love doing and I can't believe it."

The first leg came when 10-1 stable second-string The Goffer landed the second division of the 2m4f maiden hurdle under Jody McGarvey after the fall of the Davy Russell-ridden Fantasio D'Alene.

Then Ginto produced perhaps the best performance of Elliott's sensational seven in the Grade 2 Navan Novice Hurdle, at odds of 11-8.

A horse whose reputation had surpassed his achievement before now, Ginto finally began to show what the fuss was about with a commanding performance.

There were some long faces when this Walk In The Park gelding was beaten in a Fairyhouse bumper 11 months ago, but those frowns became smiles after his third consecutive win at Navan.

Always comfortable in his pursuit of the leaders, he was pushed clear by Codd after the second-last and was in control from there, proving value for every inch of the 11-length victory over main market rival Eric Bloodaxe.

It was a nice moment too for the winning rider after intended jockey Russell had been stood down for the day with a sprained wrist from his fall on favourite Fantasio D'Alene in the second division of the maiden hurdle a half-hour earlier.

Elliott said: "That was great. He's a big galloper and that shows us that he's the horse we thought he was.

"He had no race here the last day, but what I loved today was what he did from the second-last to the line. He just galloped.

"He's a good horse and he's a chaser in the making. We'll see where we go next but he'll get an entry in the Grade 1 Lawlor's Novice Hurdle at Naas next month."

Ginto was cut to a general 12-1 and 14-1 shot for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, although he is as low as 8-1 favourite for that race with Unibet.

Riviere D'Etel: one of a glut of winners on an extraordinary day for Gordon ElliottCredit: Caroline Norris

The three-timer arrived in the €100,000 handicap hurdle, sponsored by one of Elliott's biggest patrons, Bective Stud, thanks to the Gigginstown-owned topweight Commander Of Fleet, a horse who had been a two-length second to Minella Indo in the 2019 Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle but was sent off at 40-1 under Shane Fitzgerald.

Next came Riviere D'Etel, who remains unbeaten over fences after making it three-out-of-three when landing the Grade 3 Klairon Davis Novice Chase under Denis O'Regan at 1-4.

Kevin Sexton came in for the spare ride on the Gigginstown-owned Farouk D'Alene in the beginners' chase as the French-bred scored after a lengthy absence at 7-2 to make it five on the spin for Elliott.

Shane Fitzgerald completed a big handicap double on another topweight, the Gigginstown-owned Conflated, at 9-4 in the Grade B handicap chase before Itswhatunitesus delivered the coup de grace.

The magnificent seven

12.00 The Goffer 10-1
12.33 Ginto 11-8
1.08 Commander Of Fleet 40-1
1.43 Riviere D'Etel 1-4
2.18 Farouk D'Alene 7-2
2.53 Conflated 9-4
3.28 Itswhatunitesus 10-11

An accumulator of 37,382-1

Results, replays and analysis

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Tingle Creek: I can't speak' - tumultuous week ends in glory for Bryony Frost on Greaneteen

Becher Chase: Mum's the word as brave Snow Leopardess clings on over the National fences

Many Clouds Chase: Brilliant Protektorat handles conditions best for wide-margin Aintree win

Henry VIII Novices' Chase: Edwardstone downs favourite Third Time Lucki to land first Grade 1 for Cannon

Sandown: Extraordinary creature' Constitution Hill 10-1 for Supreme after powerful win

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