Elliott's smart bumper horse puts rivals under his spell

Fourth in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, and second in the Racing Post App Champion Bumper at Punchestown, Abacadabras (2/5 fav, from as short as 2/9 in the morning) had no trouble getting off the mark over hurdles at the first time of asking in the Join Racing TV Now Maiden Hurdle.

The French-bred five year old, by the German-bred Montjeu horse Davidoff, led after two out under Jack Kennedy and wasn’t at all hard pressed to defeat Poseidon (7/2) by five and a half lengths, with Golazo (10/3) another seventeen lengths away in third spot.

“He’s a grand horse and it’s nice to start him off. He’ll come on for a run like most of ours will.

“He was unlucky he didn’t win a Grade One last year. He got stopped in Punchestown and ran very well in the Cheltenham Bumper.

“I’d imagine he’ll stick to two miles and go for a Graded hurdle now. He’ll stay two and a half but we haven’t got that many for two miles at the moment so it’s good to have one or two of them.

“Like most of the Gigginstown horses he was bought to be a chaser down the line. He’s an exciting horse.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee