Cheltenham Festival 2025: Brighterdaysahead confidence for Champion Hurdle

Trainer Gordon Elliott is brimming with confidence that Brighterdaysahead can shake up the field in the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham today. Hardly seen as a genuine contender for the prestigious two-mile title last autumn, the mare has muscled her way into contention after back-to-back victories over reigning champion State Man, culminating in an emphatic 30-length triumph at Leopardstown over the festive period.

Despite options to pursue a presumably less challenging path in the Mares' Hurdle, the team behind the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six year old decided last week to aim high. Elliott holds her in very high regard.

"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 handler from Cullentra House. "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."

One blot on Brighterdaysahead's near-flawless record is a defeat at last year's Festival, finishing third behind Golden Ace while being an odds-on favourite for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle.

Elliott harbours no reservations about the track, blaming himself for a past defeat. He said: "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."

State Man, despite being no match for Constitution Hill two years ago, returned to triumph last season and will be there to defend his crown. After experiencing consecutive losses to Brighterdaysahead, State Man redeemed himself with a third Irish Champion Hurdle win at Leopardstown last month, although the significance of that victory is debatable given that his kennel companion Lossiemouth fell mid-race.

Willie Mullins has opted to equip his contender with cheekpieces for the comeback at the Cotswolds, explaining to Racing TV on Monday morning at Cheltenham: "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 have opted for the Mares' Hurdle with his star performer Golden Ace, but the team is setting their sights on Champion Hurdle success instead. After triumphing over Brighterdaysahead last year, the seven year old mare claimed a Listed victory in April and, despite a couple of defeats at the start of this season, she bounced back to form by beating Burdett Road in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton last month.

Scott later disclosed that Golden Ace had sustained a slight muscle injury during that Grade Two race, yet he remains optimistic about her condition for the upcoming challenge at Prestbury Park.

"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," Scott said. "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."