Kinloch Brae on the agenda again for Don Gordon Elliott has confirmed in his latest BoyleSports blog that the Kinloch Brae Chase is again likely to be on the agenda for Don Cossack. The Gigginstown House Stud owned gelding landed the Ladbrokes Ireland sponsored Grade 2 last year, and Elliott feels the two and a half miles event at Thurles next Thursday (January 14) would be beneficial to his stablestar. The son of Sholokhov fell at the penultimate fence last month in the King George, and connections feel a confidence boosting round of jumping would set him up nicely for Cheltenham. Elliott said, “We are thinking of going to Thurles for the Kinloch Brae. He came out of the King George very well but I’d be a little apprehensive going straight to the Gold Cup off the back of a fall. “If he jumped the first two at the Gold Cup a little nervous it could be all over, so it may be best to give him that run first.” Elliott added, “Horses are very fit this time of year so we’ll just keep ticking him over. Whether he would have won the race or not had he stayed up I don’t know, but he definitely would’ve been close as he was running a good race.” The County Meath handler also reflects that he is lucky enough with his facilities despite the bad weather recently. “Things are a bit up in the air at the moment with so much racing being called off. The weather has been a bit of a headache at the yard as it can be stop start when you’re running the horses, but it’s the same for all trainers and we are probably luckier than most that we haven’t missed a day on the gallop.”
