Apache Tribe the highlight of Elliott/Gilligan Ayr double The success of Apache Tribe in the Stagecoach Your Designated Driver Novices' Hurdle was the highlight of an Ayr double for Gordon Elliott and Danny Gilligan. Previously in the care of Noel Kelly and thought of as a live contender for the Albert Bartlett after his course success in February, the chestnut six-year-old skipped a trip to the Cotswolds and since joined Elliott. Sent off the 5/6 favourite this afternoon and racing in the colours of the McGlone Brothers Partnership, the son of Jukebox Jury eased to the front before the last and ultimately sauntered to a five-and-a-half length win. "He looks a very nice horse and is one for the future. In fairness to Noel (Kelly) he done all the work with the horse, I only have him four or five weeks," Elliott, speaking on Racing TV, revealed. "All credit has to go to Noel, he sourced the horse and done all the work. We've just kept the process going. I think he is a horse with more improvement in him, he is not in our system that long. "That'll be it for the year with him now and he'll go chasing next season. "I'm not quite sure what happened, but it (Cheltenham) didn't work out. He is a nice horse, Noel done all the work, so well done to him. "He came out of Denis Murphy's and that's a good academy. Danny just said his jumping wasn't as good as we'd like it to be on that ground. It's hard work out there and we'll enjoy today. "He is a nice novice chaser for next year." Elliott and Gilligan later completed their brace with Skerry Hill in the concluding Golf Inn Prestwick Luxury Accommodation Open NH Flat Race. Bought for 205,000 pounds after winning a point-to-point for Cormac Abernethy, the Order Of St George five-year-old was successful on his debut for current connections at Down Royal in October. Well-supported into 7/4 favouritism today, the Ronnie Bartlett-owned bay showed signs of greenness in the closing stages, but still had enough in reserve to beat Old Habits by a length-and-three-quarters. Newcomer Close House (20/1) finished a fine third for Andy Slattery, while John McConnell's Brady Hartsfield finished sixth.
