Elliott sends Don and Dirt to Irish Gold Cup Don Poli and Empire Of Dirt are set to represent Gordon Elliott in the Stan James Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday week. The Cullentra handler currently has four horses engaged for the Grade One contest, but is ready to cut that team in half. Outlander, winner of the Lexus Chase over the same course and distance last month, is set to miss out, as is Roi Des Francs. Lexus runner-up Don Poli is the 5-2 favourite in ante-post lists, with his Troytown Chase-winning stable companion Empire Of Dirt second best in the market at 4-1. "Don Poli and Empire Of Dirt will be the two for the Irish Gold Cup," said Elliott. "Outlander won't go. He'll go straight to Cheltenham. "Don Poli seems to be in good form. You wouldn't know with him as he's that slow at home to be honest, but he seems in good form. "If he runs the race he ran the last day he'd take all the beating and I'd say the ease in the ground will suit him better. "Empire Of Dirt is in great form. He's a horse that is hard enough on himself at home so you never really know where you are with him. "He seems to be well, but it's a big step up."
