The Game Changer and Davy Russell win in Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
A switch to front-running tactics reaped dividends for The Game Changer in the beginners' chase at Punchestown.
It was the six-year-old gelding's first effort over the bigger obstacles having once been placed in a Galway Hurdle when trained by Charlie Swan.
This was his fourth run for Elliott who trained him to be third in two valuable handicap hurdles at Aintree and Punchestown.
Davy Russell, sporting the Gigginstown colours, soon had the 6/4 favourite in rhythm jumping well at the head of affairs. Daneking and Paul Townend chased them in second.
After the third last, The Game Changer moved clear as Townend started to get busy on Daneking. The last two fences were jumped slickly as The Game Changer posted a decisive success over Daneking (3/1) who made several jumping errors.
Gordon Elliott said: "It was a good old performance. We changed the tactics on him today and he jumped very well.
"Originally the plan was to come here and then have a bit of a break before the Galway Hurdle but on that performance we'll keep going chasing during the summer.
"We said we'd try something different on him today and thankfully it worked."
Davy Russell said: "I suppose he did make the running over hurdles before and he won. I was going to jump out handy and to be fair to Gordon jumping-wise there was never a worry from the first fence to the last. Maybe at the third last he got in a bit tight but he jumped exceptionally.
"He was always getting there in a race and not getting home so it's always nice to try something else."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
