Gordon Elliott is pushing strongly for a first Trainers’ Championship and the Gold Cup and Grand National winning trainer landed yet another big race success, at Fairyhouse today, as his Ball D’arc won the Grade A Bar One Racing Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase, under man-of-the-moment Jack Kennedy.

Elliott led Champion Trainer Willie Mullins by E270,000 at the start of play today and Ball D’arc’s success added another E59,000 to Elliott’s haul this season.

Today’s big success added further glory for Elliott whose big race wins this season have come in the recent Paddy Power Chase and Lexus Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas festival, along with the Galway Plate, Kerry National, Munster National, Troytown Chase, Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle.

Elliott, who earlier won the opener with Barra later stated “Jack gave him a peach of a ride, and for a lad of only 17 to be doing what he’s doing is great. Nothing fazes him, and he has his feet on the ground and is still mucking out in the yard.

“It’s a nice pot to win and he was a bit unlucky at Leopardstown, although I’m still not sure he’d have won. The soft ground suited him today and he could get into a nice rhythm.

“I’m not sure where he will go next but he could go for something like the Grand Annual (at Cheltenham) - he’s still a novice over fences so that is an option as well.”

Barra’s earlier win credited jockey Kennedy with a 50th win of the season, two of which have come in Grade 1 races, and the first leg of a double for the Kerryman.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee