Mordor stays on late to give Elliott closing race double Trainer Gordon Elliott registered a closing race double when Mordor stayed on best inside the final furlong to land the concluding Innisfallen Island(Q.R.) Maiden at Killarney. A rather frustrating figure when continuously hitting the crossbar over hurdles throughout the winter, the Ray Stokes owned gelding finally got his head in front when availing of an easy opportunity at Sligo earlier this month. Reverting to the flat for the first time since joining Elliott, the Roaring Lion gelding followed up that hurdling success with a battling performance to strike here under Josh Williamson. Held up in mid division, the four-year-old looked booked for minor honours at best over a furlong out, as favourite The Banger Doyle headed leader Benjis Benefit. Ridden in fourth at that point, Mordor was switched for a wide run under Williamson, picking up strongly inside the final furlong to get up inside the last 50 yards for a most unlikely success. Winning jockey Josh Williamson reported: "He broke well, I had a nice position for the first five or six furlongs but was pushed out a bit wide on the bend racing away from the stands. "I gave him a chance and a breather and he was flat out going down the back straight but turning in, he started coming alive under me. I wasn't sure if I was going to get there but he kept on really well. "He is dual purpose and will be great fun for connections." Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes.
