Prolific mare Wodhooh wins again for Elliott

Wodhooh looks set to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival after toughing out victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Kerrymount Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Gordon Elliott’s prolific mare had won eight of her nine previous starts over obstacles, with her only defeat coming at the hands of Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle in the spring.

Having made an impressive start to the new campaign with a Grade Two success in the Ascot Hurdle last month, Wodhooh was the 8-15 favourite to give weight and a beating to four rivals in this Grade Three contest, but in the front-running Feet Of A Dancer she came up against a willing adversary.

Jack Kennedy had to get to work on the approach to the final flight, but Wodhooh responded to grab the lead on the run-in before kicking two and a quarter lengths clear.

“She doesn’t do anything fancy at home. She’s very laid back but she knows how to win,” said Elliott.

“I think we went for the right race. We were toying with going for the two-mile race (December Hurdle) and it could have been a bit sharp around there for her today.

“It turned into a bit of a sprint and she nearly got caught napping for a couple of strides, but she picked up and galloped.”

Wodhooh remains Paddy Power’s 2-1 favourite for the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, with Elliott viewing that two-and-a-half-mile contest as a more logical option than taking on the boys in the Champion Hurdle.

He added: “Two miles around Cheltenham could be a bit sharp for her so I’d say she’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle.

“She’s shown again how tough she is and I doubt she’ll run again before Cheltenham.”