English/Ire
Elliott to deploy different tactics for Brighterdaysahead’s Champion Hurdle bid
Gordon Elliott has revealed that he may look at stabling Brighterdaysahead away from Cheltenham ahead of her Champion Hurdle bid next month.
The Giggingstown-owned seven-year-old has failed to make an impact at the Cheltenham Festival thus far, suffering defeat to the hands of Golden Ace when odds-on for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle in 2024 before producing no performance whatsoever in last year's Champion Hurdle.
Brighterdaysahead will now return to Cheltenham for a second crack at the Champion Hurdle on the back of an impressive success over old rival Lossiemouth in the Irish equivalent, with Elliott keen to look at deploying different off the field tactics for her third trip to Prestbury Park.
Speaking at a media event organized by the Jockey Club, he said: "You'd love to be going there with a her having a better record around Cheltenham, but I think the first year the mare didn't do anything wrong – I think Jack (Kennedy) and Paul (Townend, riding Jade De Grugy) were looking at each other and that good mare called Golden Ace came and nabbed both of them.
"Last year she wasn't right, after Punchestown we discovered something and we've rectified it. I'd put a line through last year – she was beaten after a hurdle.
"We might do something different with her this year and stable her outside Cheltenham.
"I think the ground is going to be beautiful, safe ground on the Tuesday. The way the weather is you wouldn't know what you're going to get, but it's not going to be quick."
The daughter of Kapgarde is a general 7/2 chance for the opening day feature, with only The New Lion ahead of her in the betting but Elliott remains wary of the level of opposition she is going to have to face.
"It is an open Champion Hurdle," he said. "There are two or three horses at the top of the betting that could win it but she's in very good form and I couldn't be happier with her.
"It's a good race. The Skelton horse (The New Lion) will be very good, obviously Golden Ace keeps going under the radar and I suppose all eyes will be on Constitution Hill to see if he'll be going back over hurdles.
"I don't think they'll learn any more at Southwell than Nicky (Henderson) will have already known. So, if he runs in the race (the Unibet Champion Hurdle) it'll make it a better race, won't it?"
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