Trainer Gordon Elliott believes he's pinpointed reasons behind Gerri Colombe’s uncharacteristic performance at Down Royal, where the Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up finished over 13 lengths behind rivals Envoi Allen and Hewick in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase. This marked the first time in 14 outings that Gerri Colombe ended outside the top two, surprising many given Elliott's otherwise strong weekend at the track with eight winners and multiple placings.
Elliott shared, "Gerri Colombe just didn’t take hold of the bridle; he looked beat after just a couple of fences." However, after some analysis, Elliott believes he’s "found a couple of little things" that can be addressed to ensure the horse is ready for a strong return at Leopardstown over Christmas. "We’ll iron them out and have him right for Christmas, all being well," he added, confident the horse will bounce back to top form.