Elliott completes double with Monkshood

Monkshood completed a first and last race double for championship leader Gordon Elliott in the bumper at Clonmel.

The Stowaway gelding had shown plenty of promise in two hurdle outings including when third to C’est Jersey at Navan last month, and was well-backed on track from 3/1 into 9/4. Arvico Bleu also carrying the familiar Gigginstown colours, went off the evens favourite and cut out most of the running under David Roche.

Lisa O’Neill sent Monkshood past the favourite entering the straight, and stayed on strongly inside the final furlong to beat that rival by 12 lengths. Iolani was an easy-to-back 9/2 chance, and kept on one paced to finish another five and a half lengths away in third.

Elliott's assistant Olly Murphy said, "He'll be a lovely horse next year over a trip and I'd imagine we'll keep him a novice until next year as he's a big shell of a horse.

"He handled the conditions well and is a big good looking horse. He's a typical Gigginstown horse, and will be a chaser in time."

(TW & AM)