Gordon Elliott once again attacks Down Royal’s November Festival in strength with last season’s high-class bumper star American Mike set to make his jumping debut in Friday’s opener.
Elliott has regularly used Down Royal’s biggest National Hunt dates of the year to unveil some of his brightest stars and he has no more promising-looking young prospect this season than American Mike.
Jack Kennedy’s mount scored at this meeting in 2021 and, while Facile Vega ultimately proved his superior in bumpers, the former point to point winner should be ready to successfully start a new discipline in the maiden hurdle.
Mighty Potter won twice at the top level as a novice hurdler and makes his debut over fences in a later Beginners Chase while Pied Piper goes for the Grade Two WKD Hurdle with a win already his belt this season at Cheltenham.
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Friday’s action at Down Royal can be seen live on both TG4 and ITV4.
Elliott has a dozen runners declared overall for Friday and 14 on Saturday’s card, including both Galvin and Conflated for the featured E150,000 Ladbrokes Champion Chase.
Just three rivals line up against them including Elliott’s former charge Envoi Allen – who has won at this festival for the last three years – and Willie Mullins’s Kemboy.
Mullins traditionally doesn’t prioritise Down Royal and Kemboy is one of just three starters for the champion trainer on Saturday.
His four runners on Friday are all in the Grade Three mares’ novice hurdle and with ground conditions testing, Carrigmoorna Queen could prove best of them at a decent price.
Friday’s spotlight will switch to nearby Dundalk under the floodlights in the evening which features the Listed Cooley Stakes for fillies over a mile.
Assured of a fourth jockeys’ championship when the season ends at Naas on Sunday, Colin Keane is on board the course and distance winner Juncture in the feature event.
Juncture won the Patton Stakes in March which earned her a tilt at the 1,000 Guineas. That ended in disappointment and she has had to settle for minor honours in three starts since.
However, her 102 rating, and first-time blinkers, make a good case for her chances of winning on the all-weather again.
