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Detailed trainer analysis for Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival
* note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.
G Elliott
Ireland
BIO
Gordon Elliott has been one of the most successful trainers at the festival with 41 winners since 2011, when Chicago Grey won the National Hunt chase, when it was still a 4m Amateur race.
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His best festival was in 2018 when he was Champion Trainer having amassed 8 winners with the likes of Samcro, Tiger Roll and Delta Work in the height of the Gigginstown House Stud days.
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Elliott was banned from the 2021 festival and lost some of this yard to others with Denise Foster stepping in and saddling 32 runners with three winners at a strike rate of 9.4%.
FESTIVAL WINS
37
STRIKE RATE
8.5%
PROFIT (LOSS)
(£34)
WINS & STRIKE RATE BY YEAR
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WINS & STRIKE RATE ANALYSIS
After his enforced break in 2021 Elliott has had a much poorer win count and strike rate. Prior to 2021, from 2016 his strike rate averaged at 17% with a peak of 25% in 2018. Since his return in 2022 his strike rate averaged just 3.7% and in the last two years it averages at 1.9%
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Pulse Verdict:
Elliott has had a consistent number of runners in the low 50's at each festival (51 in 2026) though with only one winner in each of the last two years his strike rate is the lowest for over a decade.​
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MOST SUCCESSFUL FESTIVAL RACES
5
Cross Country
4
3
Fred Winter
Martin Pipe
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WINNERS BY RACE TYPE
PULSE STOPPER
Cross Country Since Handicap Change
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Although Elliott has five Cross Country wins, his most successful race from a winners perspective, at a strike rate of 18%, this would have resulted in a loss of £6 if backing all his entries to a £1 level stake.
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Pulse Stopper Verdict:
Since this race changed to a handicap in 2025, Elliott is 0/10.
PULSE INSIGHTS
Elliott has sent out 35 4-year-olds since 2016 and has managed four winners at a strike rate of 11.4%. At SP’s this would have resulted in a £37 profit.
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In the Triumph Elliott has one winner but also three 2nd placed and one third from only 8 entries. In the Fred Winter, his strike rate is 11.1% and profit of £34.50 to a £1 level stake.
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Pulse Insights Verdict:
Elliott clearly has a strong record with his four year old horses in both the Fred Winter and Triumph hurdle races with a stronger record than other age groups.
PULSE EDGE
Since 2016 Elliott has had 140 entries which were French-bred (some running multiple times). Of these he has had 15 winners at a strike rate of 10.7%. His only two winners in the last two years have both been Wodhooh, another French-bred.
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Also worth noting that of his 37 winners since 2016, 24 had some form of aid. Going deeper on that, from his 40 festival entries that had some form of aid for the first time his strike rate is 12.5% at a £1 level stake profit of £9.50.
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Pulse Edge Verdict:
Elliott's strike rate of 12.5% for horses in first time headgear is massively different to the festival average, excluding Elliott, of just 3.6% (16/405)​
PULSE VERDICT
Elliott's Strongest Festival Targets​
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Cross Country 5/27 | 18.5%
Fred Winter 3/27 | 11.1%
Martin Pipe 4/45 | 8.9%
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​As someone that worked under Martin Pipe he clearly targets the race though has a relatively low strike rate in comparison to the Cross Country and Fred Winter.​
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Elliott's Win and Strike Rate chart highlight a stark contrast in the data over the last eleven years, with a last two year average strike rate of just 1.9%.Â
PULSE SUMMARY
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Pulse Rate
Fred Winter 3/27 | 11.1%​ | Profit of £34.50 to £1 level stakes
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Pulse Stopper
Cross Country 5/27 | 18.5%​ but loss of £6 to £1 level stakes (0/10 since this race changed to a handicap)
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Pulse Insight
Four year olds 4/35 | 11.4% (non-4 year olds 33/402 | 8.2%)​
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Pulse Edge
First Time Headgear 5/40 | 12.5% (Festival average 3.6% excluding Elliott)
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ALL DATA FROM 2016 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
LAST UPDATED SEPT 2026