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Gordon Elliott cools over Royal Ascot options

Gordon Elliott
Image: Gordon Elliott: Not so keen on Royal Ascot, after all

Gordon Elliott says neither of his two smart juveniles Monkeylou and Beckford may now run at Royal Ascot.

Monkeylou was a well-backed easy winner at Listowel, while Beckford ran out a comfortable scorer of a well-contested Curragh maiden.

Both horses won in the colours of the Nicky Bradley syndicate but Beckford has subsequently been bought by Newtown Anner Stud.

"We like Monkeylou. The lads who ride him at home were all very happy with him and we'd have been disappointed had he been beaten," said Elliott.

"He probably wants further in time but I haven't got that many two-year-olds so I don't know how good or bad he is but he's definitely not bad, anyhow.

"You wouldn't even think he'd had a race he's taken it that well. He'll have an easy week and we'll decide what to do after that.

"I wouldn't rule Ascot out but I'd prefer to keep it small. Royal Ascot is a bit like Cheltenham and you can get your bubble burst very easy.

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"Beckford came out of his race very well and worked nicely the other morning but I'm not going to go to Ascot with him, either.

"I'll keep him at home for the Railway Stakes (Curragh) and look forward to that.

"I'm not sure yet if I'll have an Ascot runner, I might have one for a staying race."

Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Labaik suffered a serious injury during the Punchestown Champion Hurdle in April but Elliott has not yet called time on the quirky grey's racing career.

The County Meath handler told At The Races: "He's not retired. He's still on box rest and hopefully will be out in a field next week.

"We won't really know where we are for the next six to eight months, to be honest. He's still a young horse and hasn't got much mileage.

"He's that much of a monkey you never know what might happen."

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