- Gordon Elliott goes for broke by thrusting Brighterdaysahead into the limelight
- She will take on 2023 Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill at the Festival
- Brighterdaysahead has been kept fresh after winning each of her three starts
Brighterdaysahead has been given the green light to tackle the Unibet Champion Hurdle to set up the biggest head-to-head of the Cheltenham Festival.
Owned by Gigginstown Stud and trained by Gordon Elliott, Brighterdaysahead had the option of contesting the Mares Hurdle on the opening day but connections have made the bold call — and the right one — to lock horns with Constitution Hill.
The five-year-old has won each of her three starts this season, the last of which came at Leopardstown on December 29. The manner of her triumph in the Savills Hurdle, by an extraordinary 30 lengths from Winter Fog, needed to be seen to be believed.
State Man, last season’s Champion Hurdle winner, finished legless in third but he showed how good the form was as on his next start, the Willie Mullins-trained gelding took the Irish Champion Hurdle in a canter.
Elliott has kept Brighterdaysahead fresh since then and hoped that Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, who owns Gigginstown Stud, would come around to his way of thinking and have a shot at Constitution Hill. After discussions over the weekend, they have decided to go for broke.
Brighterdaysahead has looked sensational in winning each of her three starts this season
But she will have her work cut out against Constitution Hill who won the 2023 Champion Hurdle
Trainer Gordon Elliott is rolling the dice to set up a cracking contest on day one of the Festival
‘After discussing it with Michael and Eddie [O’Leary] we’re going to go for the Champion Hurdle with Brighterdaysahead,’ said Elliott. ‘None of us have won the Champion Hurdle before and we feel this is probably our best chance yet. Jack Kennedy has always been her biggest fan and he will ride her.’
This is exactly the kind of news that will light fires in racegoers and the battle between Constitution Hill and Brighterdaysahead – along with State Man and, potentially, Lossiemouth – will make the Champion Hurdle the most thrilling contest of the four days.
Constitution Hill has continued to thrive since an away day at Kempton Park last week and he is odds-on to reclaim the title he took in 2023 but money has come for Brighterdaysahead, who is 2/1 second favourite with Paddy Power.
