Down Royal assignment proves child's play for Pied Piper

Pied Piper predictably outclassed his three rivals to play a starring role in a four-timer for trainer Gordon Elliott on the opening day of the Ladbrokes Winter Festival at Down Royal.

The Cullentra handler has dominated the two-day meeting in recent years and headed north with another formidable squad.

With stablemate Fil Dor taken out on Friday morning, Pied Piper was a 1-8 favourite to supplement his comeback success at Cheltenham last month in the WKD Hurdle.

As expected, the Grade Two assignment proved relatively straightforward, with Jack Kennedy's mount making much of the running and quickening up from the home turn.

A mistake at the final flight gave brief hope to supporters of the staying-on David Garrick, but Pied Piper picked up again on the run-in to score comfortably by three and a quarter lengths.

Elliott said: "We didn’t want to make the running as he idles in front. We obviously didn’t want to make it, but we had to make it.

"Jack said he was just cantering around and he did more in a piece of work at home. He just said he missed the last.

"He’s had two quick runs and I’d say we might wait until Christmas now."

Pied Piper lands the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at prohibitive odds at @Downroyal, with the four-year-old securing another winner on the day for the @jackkennedy15 and @gelliott_racing combination