Gordon Elliott

Starting work as the understudy to Tony Martin at the age of thirteen, Gordon Elliott eventually turned his weekend job into a full-time position, receiving his amateur license three years later. He started out as a jockey, riding forty-six winners including two at Cheltenham Festival, one in the Punchestown Champion Bumper, and five in America, before retiring as a jockey in 2005.

In taking on the challenge of working as a professional horse trainer, Gordon Elliott started in winning fashion, going down as the youngest ever horse trainer to win the Aintree Grand National with Silver Birch in 2007. It was even more impressive considering how Elliott was able to win five races in Britain before taking a single first place finish back home in the Republic of Ireland.

Despite missing out on the National Hunt trainers’ championship by the finest of margins in the 2016/17 season, Gordon Elliott proved his worth in matching the tally set by Willie Mullins in the 2012/13 season for the record number of winners in a season with 193. Gordon Elliott achieved his 1,000th win as a trainer in 2017 when Moonday Run won at Punchestown.

Winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2016 with Don Cossack proved that age was just a number, as he was distinctly younger than most other professional horse trainers, and he carried on this skill for overachieving by winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes with Commissioned in the same year. The success at Cheltenham hit another level in 2017 when he took a treble of wins for Labaik, Apple’s Jade and Tiger Role. He currently sits with a total of fourteen winners at Cheltenham Festival, standing as the leading trainer in 2017 through finishing first in six separate race meetings.

Most fans of horse racing will remember the Gordon Elliott racing team best for their wins at Cheltenham Racecourse, but they’ve also been capable of winning races elsewhere, including an Aintree Grand National win for Tiger Roll and a Boylesports Irish Grand National win for General Principle, which both occurred in 2018.

Notable horses that were trained by Gordon Elliott also include Samcro, Tharawaat, Jury Duty, Empire Of Dirt, Definite Ruby, Prince Of Scars, Steps To Freedom, Lord Scoundrel, Automated, Salford City, Carlito Brigante, Grand Opera, His Excellency, Mae’s Choice, Jessies Dream, Beef To Heels, Realt Mor, Mala Beach, Taglietelle, Free Expression, Time To Work, Chicago Grey, Bayan, Shrapnel, Death Duty, Missy Tata, A Toi Phil, Bright New Dawn, Tocororo, Bless The Wings, Ball D’Arc, Sutton Place, Tempo Mac and Riverside City.

As a way of allowing a greater number of people to share in his success, Gordon Elliott opened up his own racing club, which gives fans the chance to receive exclusive incentives for paying a monthly, quarterly or annual membership. The Gordon Elliott Racing Club was created as a method of getting people involved in racehorse ownership without having to pay the massive fees which come with owning a horse.

Not only does signing up allow Gordon Elliott Racing Club members to receive a newsletter and priority entry to some of the UK and Ireland’s top races, but they will also be given a share of the prize money for chosen winners that come from Gordon Elliott stables. Although it might seem a bit like a money-making scheme, it’s actually something that very few professional horse racing trainers will do, and it gets people more involved in the sport, allowing for behind-the-scenes access while bridging the gap between Gordon Elliott and his fans.

Staying close to his roots, Gordon Elliott racing is based at Cullentra House Stables in County Meath, Republic of Ireland. It’s a state-of-the-art setup with its own grass paddocks, gallops, equine swimming pool, and a natural stream running through it.

As Gordon Elliott made his first Grand National entry at the tender age of twenty-nine, he’s needed a team behind him that offers additional experience and support. This is why he has three members of office staff, twenty-six work riders, nine members of ground staff, nine part-time members of staff, and specialists who focus on the welfare of the horses at Cullentra House Stables. The main jockeys at Gordon Elliott stables include Anthony Fox, Chris Meehan, Declan Lavery, Fergal Stack, Jack Kennedy, Keith Donoghue, Kevin Brogan, Liam McKenna, Lisa O’Neil, Paul Bannon, Romain Boisnard and Seamus Perry.

Stabled Horses, Past & Present

For more information on the following horse's simply click the name and you'll be taken to a unique page detailing the horse's career, and when viable their next horse race.

Tiger Roll

Don Cossack

Samcro