Elliott coy on repeating Three Card Brag trick at Aintree

Alamy Image ID: 2PG4A7G. Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire, UK

Trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Max McNeill are seemingly set for some discussions on the possibility of Three Card Brag returning for a second tilt at the Aintree Grand National in the spring of 2026.

Three Card Brag recently sealed the biggest win of his career as he landed the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase at Cheltenham’s Showcase Meeting under Jack Kennedy.

Post-race, owner McNeill was keen to set his sights on an Aintree return in April, though Elliott was initially a bit more restrained.

Three Card trick finally pays off

Three Card Brag has always been a staying chaser of some potential and true stamina appears to be a forte.

Despite running some big races in defeat over fences he still had just a Navan beginners’ chase to show for his efforts having mixed it with Grade 1 performers like Corbetts Cross and Spillane’s Tower in the early knockings of his career over the larger obstacles.

On day two of Cheltenham’s season opener, things came just right for Three Card Brag as he came up the hill strongly at Prestbury Park to see off Emmet Mullins’ Backmersackme in the £100,000 highlight at the Showcase meeting.

It was the biggest win of his career and his owner was happy to pinpoint some major targets post-race.

“He was fantastic. I thought at the end he was going to get caught but when the other horse came to him he just went away. Gordon thought he was just short of Graded level and his form is fantastic,” said McNeill.

“We’ll have to speak to Gordon but the answer to the Grand National is ‘yes’. I might be smoking bad stuff but the Coral Gold Cup [at Newbury] has got to be under consideration too.”

Aintree test too much first time around

Three Card Brag went off a 16/1 chance in the Grand National back in April, with then champion jockey-elect Sean Bowen on his back.

They made an early mistake and hit some traffic, but late in the contest it appeared as though the four-and-a-quarter-mile test around the Merseyside venue was proving too much.

In the end, Three Card Brag was midpack, finishing 11th, as Nick Rockett won for Willie and Patrick Mullins. He was beaten more than 40-lengths and finished a tired horse.

Despite that, his owner is clearly keen on allowing him another chance as a nine-year-old.

Elliott remains coy on plans

Elliott, who has won the Merseyside marathon on three occasions with Silver Birch and Tiger Roll, remains a bit less circumspect on plotting another go with Three Card Brag come April 4th, 2026.

Despite conceding his charge didn’t seem to last the distance the first time around, the Cullentra handler did suggest that perhaps the maturing performer showed more stamina in his latest Cotswolds win.

“We ran him in the Grand National and he didn’t get home,” the trainer said. “We’ll get him back and see how he is but there are plenty of options and we’ll choose where we go. He is a year older and he definitely looked to stay better there.”