Elliott completes double as Conti conquers at Cork Cheltenham festival runner-up Jade De Grugy was overturned as 2/7 favourite on chasing debut today, finishing third to the Gordon Elliott-trained, Jack Kennedy-partnered Kala Conti (7/2) in Cork’s Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase. Runner-up to Lossiemouth in March’s Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, Jade De Grugy led for much of today’s race but was headed early in the home straight as Kala Conti quickened away to score by 9.5 lengths from Farfromnowhere, with Jade De Grugy taking third. Elliott had earlier scored with Staffordshire Knot at Punchestown and at Cork, Kennedy commented "Kala Conti jumped brilliantly and was a bit in my hands early on but we weren't going much of a gallop. We got going early into the straight and it took her a little while to get into top gear but she jumped the last three fences very slickly. "I was always in and around the same area as Jade De Grugy so had a good eye on her. Hopefully Kala Conti can build on that again as she was a very consistent mare over hurdles and I think there could be more to come from her over fences. "It was a good race so it was nice to get it."
