O’Leary wary of State Man challenge for Brighterdaysahead

Connections of Brighterdaysahead expect to face a “much better” State Man at Leopardstown later this month, with the pair set for a mouthwatering rematch in the December Hurdle.

In the absence of Constitution Hill, the Willie Mullins-trained State Man carried all before him last season, successfully defending the Morgiana Hurdle, the December Hurdle, the Irish Champion Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, as well as lifting the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He was a short price to make it a Morgiana hat-trick at Punchestown last month, but suffered only his second defeat in 14 completed starts over hurdles for Mullins at the hands of Gordon Elliott’s exciting mare Brighterdaysahead.

However, the latter did have the benefit of race fitness after wining on her reappearance at Down Royal three weeks earlier and Eddie O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud believes she will face a tough test in her bid to confirm the placings over the festive period.

“Hopefully she’ll go to Leopardstown and we’ll see what happens there. She’ll meet a much better State Man, so we’ll see,” he said.

While Elliott admitted in the aftermath of Brighterdaysahead’s Morgiana success that the Mares’ Hurdle would be the five-year-old most likely Festival target, he was not ruling out a tilt at Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

If she were to beat State Man again at Leopardstown, calls would inevitably grow for her to take on the boys, but O’Leary expects her to opt for the easier option.

He added: “We’re going to the Mares’ Hurdle and we’ll be going chasing next year, not hurdling.

“We’ll go to Leopardstown at Christmas because there’s nowhere else to go. We’d much rather be going two and a half miles, but there is nowhere else to go.”