Salvador Ziggy and Danny Gilligan win for owner William Aisling Hurley and trainer Gordon Elliott© Photo Healy Racing
Following on from their double at the track on Saturday, Danny Gilligan and Gordon Elliott were back in the winners' enclosure after Salvador Ziggy obliged on his first start over fences in the Ladbrokes Beginners Chase at Punchestown.
The seven-year-old is no stranger to this venue either, having made a winning debut for new connections on his first start for Elliott last May.
Since then, the son of El Salvador went on to win three times over hurdles, before finishing an excellent second in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final at Cheltenham.
Always prominent on his chasing debut this afternoon, the gelding faced a strong challenge from eventual runner-up Hubrisko before getting the better of that rival after the second last fence.
Gilligan said:- “His jumping is going to come on plenty from it. He was a bit novicey the whole way, jumping up and spending a bit of time in the air.
“He did what he had to and he's going to come on plenty from it. I tried to teach him a bit, getting him in tight to a couple, and he's going to come on plenty.
“To be fair to him he was clever when he was in tight and he was well able to lift his legs. There should be plenty more days in him.
“If he got around here I'm sure he'll have no bother in the future.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
