Brighterdaysahead could seek immediate redemption after Cheltenham Festival disappointment

There's a "small chance" that Brighterdaysahead will compete in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle, as her team looks for an immediate comeback from her Champion Hurdle disappointment.

Gordon Elliott and owners Gigginstown House Stud dared for greatness at Prestbury Park when after two thrilling victories over State Man on home soil they pitched their star mare into a mouthwatering Champion Hurdle.

The race had to be seen to be believed with both the heavy favourite Constitution Hill and defending champion State Man falling, and Brighterdaysahead not performing at her best and fading disappointingly in the home straight, while Jeremy Scott's Golden Ace raced to victory in the day one feature.

This was the second time Brighterdaysahead didn't shine at the Cheltenham Festival, but she might get a chance for immediate redemption before the season ends.

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"Hopefully we have found something that might have caused her to run poorly, hopefully she is over that now and that just wasn't her, it was an odd run," said Eddie O'Leary of Gigginstown.

"We'll have to see what happens and there is a small chance she will make Liverpool.

"The Champion Hurdle run just wasn't her and from the word go she just wasn't happy. We're happy enough there was a small issue so hopefully we have that sorted out now."

Brighterdaysahead turned heads with a stunning performance on Grand National day last year, and her preference for left-handed tracks points to a step up in distance at Aintree, where she excelled 12 months prior.

"She is better off going left-handed. If it's not Liverpool she will have to go the other way round at Punchestown," O'Leary said.

"It would be in the two-and-a-half-mile race at Liverpool. We'd prefer to go left-handed, but it would be up to her. If she's well and flying again then that's grand, but if not we can go to Punchestown."

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