Elliott retains faith in Fleet despite Royal Bond defeat Gordon Elliott is confident there is still plenty to look forward to with Commander Of Fleet despite his eclipse at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The four-year-old son of Fame And Glory made a hugely impressive start to his racing career under rules in the Goffs Land Rover Bumper at the Punchestown Festival in the spring, comfortably seeing off stablemate and subsequent winner Column Of Fire. The Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding justified cramped odds on his seasonal reappearance and hurdling debut at Punchestown last month and put his unbeaten record on the line when stepping up to Grade One level in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle. Commander Of Fleet ultimately finished last of the four runners, but was only beaten a shade over eight lengths by all-the-way winner Quick Grabim and Elliott feels his charge will come into his own when stepped up in trip. He said: "We knew he wanted two and a half miles, and from the last to the line he was staying on the whole way. "He's a horse for the future - a nice horse." Commander Of Fleet is a best priced 25/1 for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
