Labaik© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott will emulate his former mentor Martin Pipe in the coming days by sending out his 1,000th runner in one season, and at Naas on Sunday arguably his most enigmatic horse, Labaik, contests the featured Grade 2 Paddy Power Onside App Novice Hurdle.
Only Pipe, in Britain, has ever sent out horses to contest more than 1,000 races in one season, doing so both in 2003/4 (1,069 runs) and 2004/5 (1,168) and Elliott’s 16 runners for the weekend will bring his haul to 991 runs for the 2016/7 Irish jumps season.
On Sunday, Elliott’s Labaik faces a stiff task as he goes in search of more Graded glory but the gelding has the dubious distinction of both winning three times and refusing to race three times since joining the Grand National and Gold Cup winning trainer.
The grey son of Montmartre was a Grade 3 winner at Navan in November but has since refused to jump off on two occasions.
Elliott is under no illusions and says "Labaik went hunting on Thursday and I don't think there were any disasters!
"He's got a massive engine if he can jump off. He'll drive you mad, but we haven't got too many that work like him in the yard - he's a machine to work."
Another possible ‘machine’ in the lineup is the Ted Walsh trained Any Second Now, who bids to maintain his unbeaten run for owner J.P. McManus.
The son of Oscar was a shock 66/1 winner at Navan in December before impressing when winning at this Grade 2 level at Punchestown last month.
Also in the seven runner race are the Willie Mullins trained Pravalaguna and the Gigginstown House Stud owned Peace News, which both bid to get back to winning ways having disappointed recently.
By Tom Weekes
