Gordon Elliott insists he is not worried about Don Cossack coming up short at Cheltenham again having failed to record a Festival win.
The nine-year-old will be looking for his first win at Prestbury Park when he lines up for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month, the German import having fallen in 2014 and then come home in third, behind Uxizandre, in the Ryanair Chase last year.
Despite his frustrations at Cheltenham, Don Cossack has proven himself capable at other tracks, winning the Punchestown Gold Cup in 2015 and recording three wins on his four starts so far this season.
Elliott hopes that with Gigginstown’s retained rider Bryan Cooper on board Don Cossack will have no issues getting round and landing the biggest prize of his career.
“The track won’t bother him. He’s won right-handed and left-handed, he’s won at Punchestown and Aintree,” Elliott told At The Races.
“The first year at Cheltenham he was travelling well but just let fly at one from outside the wings and fell in the RSA and the following year he was running a lovely race at the top of the hill when he got brought to a standstill and then got squeezed out at the second last.
“I’m not saying he would have won but he’d have been a good second if that didn’t happen. I’m not worried about the track, it’s just if he’s good enough.
“I don’t know if Bryan will ride, Gigginstown could have four or five in it so it’s a very difficult decision to make. Hopefully he rides him but if he doesn’t there’ll be plenty of good lads on the sidelines.”
