Petit Mouchoir and Jamie Codd© Photo Healy Racing
Gordon Elliott will have mixed feelings about seeing his Petit Mouchoir win the E100,000 Goffs Land Rover Bumper on racecourse debut at Punchestown today, given the trainer, in an unusual arrangement with owner Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud, will no longer train the horse from next season.
Ridden by Jamie Codd, Petit Mouchoir improved to lead on the inner rounding the home turn before producing a fine turn of foot, to eventually beat Policy Breach by six and a half lengths.
Elliott's arrangement with his chief owner O'Leary means young horses prepared by the Grand National winning trainer will subsequently join other trainers and this grey son of Al Namix will now join Elliott's main competitior Willie Mullins.
Elliott explained "he's a very nice horse and Willie Mullins will have the pleasure of training him next year, I won't have him unfortunately.
"My job was to win a point-to-point with him and I get enough nice horses (from Gigginstown) so I'll keep the peace and say nothing!"
He added "he's a nice horse, wouldn't be the quickest in the world but he stays very well.
"He was very keen before the first day he ran in his point-to-point and, while I was debating about whether I'd put the hood on him today, I didn't want to take the chance (of not doing it) with all the hustle and bustle here.
"He's a very slick jumper and will make a nice hurdler next year. No doubt he'll win plenty of races."
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
