D-day for Brighterdaysahead in Champion Hurdle

Gordon Elliott is confident Brighterdaysahead has what it takes to serve it up to Constitution Hill in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Not many would have had the Gigginstown House Stud-owned mare down as a genuine contender for the two-mile crown in the autumn, but back-to-back defeats of Willie Mullins’ reigning champion State Man – and in particular her 30-length demolition job at Leopardstown over Christmas – put her right in the mix.

After toying with the idea of taking the perceived easier option of the Mares’ Hurdle, connections confirmed last week they would roll the dice and bid for Champion Hurdle glory with a six-year-old who is held in the highest esteem by her trainer.

“I’m not going to say she’s the best I’ve trained because I’d be telling you a lie, but she knows how to win and that’s what you want, isn’t it?,” said the Cullentra House handler.

“She’s been good over two and a half miles, but was impressive the last day over two miles.

“I just decided to miss the Irish Champion Hurdle because we started off early in Down Royal and we’ve had three runs, so we didn’t need to have four before Cheltenham. I just thought I’d freshen her up.

“I always thought she was very good and I always said from day one what I thought of her.”

Brighterdaysahead has been beaten only once in 10 outings to date and that was at last year’s Festival when third behind the reopposing Golden Ace as an odds-on favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

Elliott has no track concerns, though, as he blames himself for that defeat.

He added: “She only had one blip and that was in Cheltenham last year and that was my fault because I said to Jack (Kennedy) ‘don’t set the race up for Paul Townend (riding Jade De Grugy)’ and Willie probably said the same thing to Paul. The two of them seemed to look at each other and something went by both of them like a bullet.

“I always go back to what Jack Kennedy said to me, that she doesn’t quicken she just gallops. She’s got a cruising speed and when she gets into it it’s hard to stop her – she’s a relentless galloper I suppose would be the term to use.”

While no match for Constitution Hill two years ago, State Man did emerge victorious in his absence last season and is back to defend his title.

The chestnut suffered successive defeats to Brighterdaysahead before winning his third Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, but how much can be garnered from that victory is questionable given his stablemate Lossiemouth crashed out four flights from home.

Mullins has decided to fit his charge with cheekpieces for his return to the Cotswolds, telling Racing TV at Cheltenham on Monday morning: “I just put them on him last week during work and we were very happy with it.

“He’s an older horse who has been running since he was three and he’s lazy, isn’t he? When Lossiemouth fell (at Leopardstown) he didn’t do anything, he just thought he wasn’t in a race.

“He was always laid-back and only ever beats what he has to beat – he never goes and wins by 10 lengths. He’s a horse with a lot more ability I think than people think he has, so we’ll find out.”

Jeremy Scott could easily have taken the Mares’ Hurdle option with his stable star Golden Ace, but connections have ultimately decided to shoot for Champion Hurdle glory.

After beating Brighterdaysahead 12 months ago, the seven-year-old plundered a Listed prize in April and while she was beaten on her first two starts of the current campaign, she returned to winning form with victory over the reopposing Burdett Road in last month’s Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Scott subsequently revealed Golden Ace had suffered a minor muscle injury in that Grade Two contest, but is confident she is fully tuned up for her return to Prestbury Park.

He said: “I’m very happy with her. We’re going in relatively as good as I could have her actually, so I’m delighted with her.

“The way she went about it (Wincanton) was not the manner I thought she would, so all she looked to do that day was gallop and stay and didn’t look to have a lot of pace.

“Slight trepidation in that they are going to go a very good gallop, but I’m hoping on good ground that cruising speed will return to her on that sort of ground.

“The decision came down to the owner. He desperately wanted to have a runner in the Champion Hurdle. He believes the best form has been over two miles and we should give her the opportunity.”