On a weekend when the National Hunt season moved into full flow, with top class action at Punchestown and Cheltenham, it was Gordon Elliott’s team who seized the initiative.

The Meath handler has started the jumps season proper in red hot form. There was one Grade 1 and three Grade 2 races at Punchestown on Saturday and Sunday and Elliott’s charges won all of them. He also took a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle at Cheltenham and sent out six winners in all.

His Grade 1 winner was Abacadabras, who perhaps showed more resolution than he usually does in the finish of the Morgiana Hurdle.

In a unsatisfactory, slowly-run contest, Jack Kennedy’s mount found himself in front after the last and he battled on gamely to hold off the challenge of favourite Saint Roi and Jason The Militant.

The Gigginstown Stud-owned horse was one of only a few horses of Elliott’s that disappointed at Down Royal’s two-day meeting at the start of the month but is firmly back on track for the Champion Hurdle now, for all that this race was a completely different test to the main event in March.

Winning rider Kennedy commented: “I was happy most of the way around although he did throw in a couple of clumsy jumps.

“I actually ended up getting there way too soon.

“He idled in front which he can do when you get there too soon on him but it was a good performance and he will be better in a stronger run race on better ground.”

Other winners

Elliott’s Grade 2 winners were Felix Desjy, Fury Road and Pencilfulloflead, who was most noteworthy.

He comfortably held the measure of favourite Latest Exhibition in the Liam & Valerie Brennan Florida Peal Novice Chase and very much looks a chaser to follow.

Duffle Coat’s win in the opening JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle was the perfect start to the weekend for Elliott at Cheltenham but also for his friend and fellow Meath man Robbie Power.

With Covid restrictions making things awkward for jockeys moving between Ireland and Britain, the 38-year-old rider made the tough decision to move away from his family and relocate to Britain for the season in order to keep up his association with the Colin Tizzard yard.

He endured something of a tough start but things are really moving forward now and weekends like this, when he can also link up with Irish trainers sending horses over to big British races, will really suit him.

He rode four winners in all at Cheltenham, two of which were impressive novice chasers for Tizzard and the last was the most significant, The Shunter for Emmet Mullins.

Power, who had to get down to 10st to ride the correct weight on the seven-year-old reported that it was the lightest weight he’d done “in about 10 years”.

It paid off because the light weight was crucial to The Shunter in the very testing conditions and the win gave Mullins, nephew of Willie, the biggest win of his training career.