3 minute read
Gordon Elliott and his team clearly hold exciting prospect Brighterdaysahead in the highest order as she bids to stretch her unbeaten record to six in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
After being two from two in the bumper sphere last year, Gordon Elliott's mare made a swift transition to the hurdling game when running out a facile ten-length winner of a Thurles maiden hurdle in October.
A step up to Grade 3 company would follow and although not always fluent in the jumping department on that occasion, Brighterdaysahead raw talent shone through, and she once again ran out a ready winner.
The Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old yet again would prove she was a mare heading firmly in the right direction when landing a Listed contest over two miles five furlongs at Navan last month and the Cullentra House-based trainer was full of praise speaking from his yard yesterday morning.
"She does her own talking; we think she's very good," Elliott said.
"Shane Mccann rides her every day, he's as good a judge as we have, and he says she could be as good as we've had here.
"I'm not worried about the trip, she's going the right way, she knows how to win, and she's got a good attitude. She's not flashy, but we like what she does, and she pleases the whole time.
"She's got a great chance."
Brighterdaysahead is a best-priced 2/1 for the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in two weeks, with Willie Mullins' Jade De Grugy next in the betting ahead of Fergal O'Brien's leading British contender Dysart Enos a general 9/2 shot.
