Will Gordon Elliott bounce back this weekend?

Gordon Elliott has endured what must be classed as a frustrating spring so far at the top festivals.

The Cullentra handler had to wait for the last of the 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival before Wodhooh got him on the scoresheet in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

At Aintree, there was just one winner too, with Honesty Policy taking out the Grade 1 Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle for owner JP McManus.

For many a trainer, that might be classed as a good return but Elliott's standards are typically sky high. He will want to sign off the jumps season in style with Fairyhouse looming this weekend and Punchestown to come at the end of the month.

Fairyhouse a good place to start

Elliott has trained more winners at Fairyhouse (224) in his career than anywhere else. The Co Meath circuit has provided nearly €3.5m in prize money down through the years and his strike-rate is a very decent 14 per cent historically at the track.

He will, though, admit to some worries this year as he has managed just two winners at Fairyhouse from 44 runners, a strike rate of less than five per cent.

Five winners across the last week have come at Bellewstown and Down Royal and Elliott will want to see some big returns over the Easter Weekend.

After having 16 winners from 108 runners in January, Elliott has managed just 12 from 125 in February and 15 from 144 in March. Things are on the up, though, with 10 winners from 70 runners already in April.

Wins are not far away

Despite the lone successes at both Cheltenham and Aintree, Elliott has always remained keen to acknowledge that his horses are generally running well.

In the Cotswolds the likes of Stellar Story and Teahupoo ran big races when second in Grade 1s, the latter just unfortunate to be gunned down late by Cheltenham specialist Bob Olinger in the Stayers' Hurdle.

There were plenty of other examples of Elliott horses going well but just coming up short. Wodhooh landed the Martin Pipe much to Elliott's relief and the gutsy mare has since run a blinder when second behind Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle, as she graduated to Grade 1 company and showed she has a future in graded races.

Another mare, Familiar Dreams, also stepped up into top-class company at Aintree and ran with enormous credit.

National to provide a tonic?

Elliott has three wins in the most famous jumps race of them all at Aintree but he's still stuck on one in the Fairyhouse edition. That came in 2018 when JJ Slevin brought General Principle home in front.

As always, he won't be afraid to fire a good few darts at the board in pursuit of this €275,000 pot on Easter Monday.

Better Days Ahead, Fil Dor, Three Card Brag, Duffle Coat, Favori Champdou, Search For Glory, Shecouldbeanything and Troytown winner Stuzzikini are just some of the names that could be carrying Elliott's hopes in the Irish National.

It has been a funny spring for the Cullentra ace, he'll feel he hasn't quite got what he deserved so far, but a second Irish Grand National win would go a long way to putting a different slant on things.