The Yellow Clay maintains unbeaten record over hurdles with stylish display to hand Gordon Elliott fifth victory in seven years

Faith was fully restored after The Yellow Clay made it four from four over hurdles to give Gordon Elliott his fifth winner in this Grade 1 contest and his first since Ginto won it for the same owners, Bective Stud, in 2022.

The Yellow Clay had fallen over the line in quite an ordinary Grade 2 at Navan last month, but this was far more like it as he won in the hands of Sam Ewing for the third time.

In a race where a good clip was set by his stable companion Wingmen, the winner was sent for home two out by Ewing and he kept on resolutely to score by eight lengths from the Patrick Mullins-ridden Supersundae, who did best of his father's four runners in the race. After his exertions, Wingmen was a further three lengths away in third, while Champion Bumper winner Jasmin De Vaux was a well-beaten fourth.

Elliott was impressed with the professionalism and willingness to win of The Yellow Clay, who was cut to 7-1 (from 20) for the Turners Novices' Hurdle and to 8-1 (from 12) for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

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He said: “He's a horse who just knows how to win and I think he's improving the whole time. The last day in Navan I would say he was just a bit behind the bridle and having to have a race probably taught him a bit.

"I thought he got there plenty soon enough today, but from halfway to three-quarters of the way he probably travelled better than he ever has. It was a good performance and he has now won on all ground. I was a bit concerned about running him on this ground today. Sam said he hated it."

A mud-splattered Sam Ewing with The Yellow Clay after scoring by eight lengthsCredit: Patrick McCann

Elliott added: "I'd imagine he will go straight to Cheltenham. He will be entered in the DRF [Dublin Racing Festival] but the little break before Cheltenham will do him no harm. I imagine he'd go for the middle-distance option, the Turners.

"Wingmen ran a blinder too. He's a good horse in his own right.”

Ewing said: “It wasn't a true run race at Navan the last day. Fleur In The Park got first run on me but he still felt like a good horse when he got me out of trouble.

"We went a real honest gallop today, he settled and jumped everywhere. I couldn't have been happier all the way round, I took it up going to the last and he stayed at it well. He's a very forward horse and he just takes it as it comes.”

Despite the reverse with Jasmin De Vaux, Mullins could not have been happier with Supersundae, absent since winning a maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe in May. He said: “Supersundae ran very well on that ground. He was very keen, he should improve and will come on a lot for that. Whether he goes to the Dublin Racing Festival or we find an alternative, we don't know yet. He has put himself in the picture though.”

However, there was a sense of back to the drawing board with the Champion Bumper winner, unimpressive in his jumping when winning his maiden hurdle and even less so here.

Mullins said: “Jasmin De Vaux was just too keen and did not jump well enough at that pace. It's something we will have to rectify.”

Turners Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 12)
Coral: 5-2 The New Lion, 10 Jalon D’Oudairies, Potters Charm, The Yellow Clay, 12 Kopek Des Bordes, 14 Kaid D’Authie, Romeo Coolio, 16 bar

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 14)
Coral: 6 The Yellow Clay, 12 The Big Westerner, 14 Final Demand, 16 Jalon D’Oudairies, Jet Blue, Potters Charm, 20 bar

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