Outlander “in great form and bouncing” ahead of Betfair Chase

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Irish trainer Gordon Elliott reports Outlander to be in “great form and bouncing ahead of the feature race at Haydock on Saturday, the  Betfair Chase.
Successful in the G1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown last season, he disappointed when 10th to Sizing John in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup but bounced back to form with a victory in the G1 JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 4.
During a media visit at his yard yesterday Elliott said: “Outlander is a grand horse. He will probably travel over on Wednesday night and Jack Kennedy will take the ride.
“He had an operation for a kissing spine but it went grand and we got him back on track. We were just happy that he jumped a bit better on his first start of the season at Punchestown – it was a bit disappointing but I don’t think that he was fit enough.
“We put cheekpieces on him at Down Royal, when Jack gave him a great ride, and we are very happy with him.
“The Betfair Chase looks a good race but we will take our chance. He is in great form and bouncing. He looks great and we couldn’t be happier with him.
“If you go back to his Lexus run last season, it was very good. A lot of people fancied him as an outsider for the Gold Cup but he never jumped at all, which was obviously to do with his back.
“If he gets back to that Lexus run, he is good enough to line up at Haydock. The Down Royal run might not be strong enough form but his Lexus win would not be far off it. He can be a bit hit and miss, so hopefully he turns up on a going day.
“The heavier the ground, the better for Outlander. You have to respect Sizing John, Cue Card – when he is on a going day, he is brilliant – and Bristol De Mai. Every one of them in their own right is entitled to turn up but, if we get a bit of luck in running and everything works out, Outlander would have a good each-way chance.
“The chance of our lad winning the Triple Crown is very slim but, if you are not in, you can’t win so we will take our chance. I would love to have a horse good enough and Don Cossack on his day might have been the one, but it is hard to do.”

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