TOP racehorse trainer Gordon Elliott lifted the lid on his engagement to rival trainer Jessica Harrington’s daughter Kate.
The Grand National-winning handler said he kept things simple but romantic by doing it ‘on the couch at home’.
Elliott, 48, having been with Harrington for eight years.
He said their high-profile relationship had endured a ‘few hiccups’ along the way but that he was ready to settle down.
The County Meath handler, who first won the world’s most famous race with Silver Birch in 2007, toasted his engagement with a stunning 23-1 double as racing returned to Cheltenham.
Elliott, who was there in person to see Bowensonfire and Cosmos d’Ainay go in under Jack Kennedy, revealed all about how he popped the question.
He said: “It was at the start of the week that I proposed to Kate.
“It was nothing fancy, just on the couch at home as I’m an ordinary man!
“We have been together for nearly eight years now.
“There have been a few hiccups along the way, but she is a great girl.”
While Elliott is one of the biggest names in jumps racing, Kate has more than held her own working alongside mum Jess.
She famously won the Gold Cup in 2017 with Sizing John but tends to focus more on the Flat these days.
Jessie celebrated a huge winner last month when 50-1 Hotazhell landed the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
With one eye on wedding planning, Elliott will have his other on his raft of superstars from his Cullentra base.
None are bigger than Romeo Coolio and Elliott revealed he could well start off over three miles in the Remembering Envoi Allen Champion Chase at Down Royal next Saturday.
Elliott said: “We won’t be quite as strong as normal at Down Royal.
“The plan is for Romeo Coolio to go there. He will come on for it as we gave him a little operation on his back.
“He is in the two and a half mile race, but he is also in the three-mile Grade One. We might just roll the dice in the big one.”
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