Elliott doubles-up with impressive Malone Road

Malone Road ran out an impressive winner of the finale at Down Royal, the Daily Mirror (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, completing a double on the card for Gordon Elliott.

Successful on debut for Stuart Crawford in a point-to-point at Loughanmore in March, the son of Kalanisi was since bought by current connections for a massive 325,000 pounds.

Sent off the 2/5 favourite (from 8/13 in early shows), the Cheveley Park Stud owned four-year-old made all under Jamie Codd.

He was pressed over two furlongs out by Valdieu (4/1), but was pushed along and quickly stretched clear inside the final furlong, going on to score by seven and a half lengths.

Valdieu had to settle for second under Mark O'Hare for Noel Meade, while Buck's Billionaire was another half a length back in third.

Elliott said: "It has been a great couple of days.

"He's smart, we were happy with what he was doing coming here today. It wasn't ideal having to make the running but we just said we would keep it simple. He gallops and he is a nice horse.

"You just love the way he quickened going across the road to the line.

"Cheveley Park were good to buy him and send me a good few horses. Hopefully this can be a good one.

"He probably would be better (on softer ground) but listen good horses go on most ground.

"He'll go for a winners' bumper somewhere, something like Navan."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham