Downpatrick brace for Elliott and Russell

A Downpatrick double for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell was completed by Count Simon s win in the Down Time Festival Rated Novice Hurdle.

Joe and Pat Sloan's Rip Van Winkle gelding, was really strong on the run-in, with first-time cheek-pieces deployed, to eventually beat Try Again by five and a half lengths.

Elliott and Russell had earlier combined for success with Ravenhill in race three.

"Davy is lucky for me! He doesn't do much wrong anyway!" said Elliott afterwards.

"It's great for the Sloans who are big supporters of the yard.

"He had the form to win but he just jumped his hurdles too carefully, that's why I put the cheek-pieces on today.

"He won well when he got the gap.

"There is improvement over hurdles (to come) and he could be a horse to go back on the Flat."

(MG & EM)