Not sure if this has been mentioned yet i've been off the forum today so haven't read much. Has anyone seen Elliotts Drinmore horses over the last few years? All go on to run in the RSA. Does he think Samcro will be suited to the 3 miles more than the JLT trip? Trainers love proven tactics.
Thought I do think it's certainly a good thing to focus on (trainers targeting and repeating races / patterns) I wouldn't read too much into the Drinmore. I posted a few days ago showing the list of horses who had ran in the race and where they then lined up at the festival. It ranges across the entire board from RSA to JLT to NHC and even Arkle.
On Elliott himself though - he's only had a few runners in the JLT over the years...
2019 - Mengli Khan - Arkle was always the plan but he completely flopped in the 2 trials at Leopardstown
2018 - Shattered Love - Elliott would have had her in (and stated leading up to it) the RSA. Gigginstown switched to the JLT last minute
2017 - No runner
2016 - No runner
2015 - No runner
I just don't think they've really had a horse outlined for the race before. Being Gigginstown it's been heavily weighted to the 3m+ races.
This year there's likely going to have to be a runner in the JLT. The same was thought last year of course before setbacks, the ground and Samcro staying hurdling meant Gigginstown/Elliott didn't have as much of an array of horses as first imagined.
And most importantly even trainers who regularly have runners in the JLT have no 'typical route', despite on paper the Drinmore and Flogas appearing to be JLT trials and the Florida Pearl and Neville Hotel Chases RSA. Mullins JLT 'route' is all the place as he just fits his horses in and around eachother with one usually slotting up here. The same will probably be the case with Elliott this year as he's approaching that level of firepower. Even more so when you'll have Gigginstown in the background able to make the final call.
With the JLT I take more focus on how horses could slot in alongside eachother rather than a route taken with other other horses. Absolutely with say the Arkle and RSA but not this one. Plus this year Elliott might even end up having his JLT, RSA and NHC runner in the Drinmore imo