Trainer Gordon Elliott increased his lead over Willie Mullins at the head of the Trainer’s Championship with a four-timer at Punchestown today as his Cecil Corbett landed the Coral.ie Download The App Handicap Chase under jockey Davy Russell.

Each of Elliott’s four winners were ridden by different jockeys as his Zanjabeel (under Mikey Fogarty) won the opener before scoring with Fire In His Eyes (David Mullins) and Baby Twig (Jamie Codd).

Elliott’s prospects of winning a first Trainers’ Championship have been boosted in recent weeks and while E4,000,000 in prizemoney will be needed to secure the title, the race to E2,000,000 is already underway, with Elliott’s four-timer bringing him to E1,150,00 compared to Mullins’ E1,040,000.

Following his fourth win, Elliott briefly stated “I don’t think he (Cecil Corbett) stayed the last day at Kilbeggan and Davy gave him a good ride today.”

Cecil Corbett had previously been trained by winning owner Liam Clancy, from Bundoran, until Elliott took over training duties in 2015.

By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee