Elliott is the man on Bendzoldan Casela Park set a scorching pace in the Original Rude Boys Apprentice Handicap at Leopardstown but Diamond Daze and Bendzoldan were ultimately able to live with it. The latter prevailed to give her rider Charlie Elliott his first success in the plate. Bendzoldan was following up a Down Royal success from 13 days ago on just her third start for Jessica Harrington. The daughter of Refuse To Bend was well-backed too (4s into 3s) and she got the better of Diamond Daze by a neck. Elliott, with five rides under his belt, is a sixteen-year-old for Skerries in County Dublin. As Alan Sweetman explained in today's Racing Post, his namesake, Charlie Elliott was one of the big names in British and French racing in the first half of the 20th century. He became champion jockey while still an apprentice and won 21 Classics, including seven Derbys, three at Epsom and four at Chantilly. Meanwhile Bendzoldan was bred by no less a man than Michael Kinane. (GC & EM)
