Gordon Elliott was left furious after jockeys reported the ground at Down Royal to be drying out following the first race on Friday, leading the Meath handler to withdraw six of his runners from the Festival of Racing.

The Down Royal Festival has long been Gordon Elliott's preferred curtain-raiser for the season, but the County Meath trainer was left incensed by the ground conditions throughout Friday's card.

While Elliott secured victory in the day's opener with promising novice With Nolimit, he subsequently pulled six of his entries after riders informed him the ground was firming up considerably after that first contest.

Initially, the Lisburn track's going was advertised as yielding (hurdle) and good to yielding (chase) ahead of proceedings, but this was revised to good-yielding across both courses once the opening contest had concluded.

As the afternoon progressed, officials further updated the chase course going to good.

Notable withdrawals from Elliott's string included Grade One victor Mange Tout, who had been scheduled to contest the Listed bottlegreen Hurdle, alongside the potentially talented Ballyfad from the Beginners' Chase, reports the Irish Mirror.

Speaking to Racing TV, Elliott expressed his frustration: "It's very disappointing. We know this meeting is coming at the same time every year. We shouldn't be waiting on rain to come for the ground – this track has the best watering system in the country. It's not good enough.

"These are winter horses and they're promising us good ground. You can't depend on the rain and you have to use the watering system in place."

Elliott's afternoon nearly took a more distressing turn when his costly acquisition El Cairos suffered a heavy tumble at the concluding flight in the Listed Hurdle while partnered by Jack Kennedy, remaining motionless briefly before mercifully regaining his footing moments later. Following Nolimit's victory in the opening race, the Gigginstown-owned gelding has emerged as an early contender for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Speaking afterwards, Elliott commented: "I think he's a better horse with a lead) - when he won his Grade 1 in Punchestown, he got a lead the whole way. It is all about chasing down the road."

He added: "Obviously, he could go to Fairyhouse or somewhere before - I'll talk to Michael and Eddie (O'Leary) and see."