Brighterdaysahead: Champion Hurdle or Champion mare?
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Gordon Elliott ’s Brighterdaysahead has been a standout performer this season but her Cheltenham Festival target is yet to be determined. Her form indicates that either the Champion Hurdle or the Mares’ Hurdle could be within her scope but which should she run in?
Here we take a look at the pros and cons of running in each of those races and offer a verdict on which target connections should go for.
Champion Hurdle
Few could argue that Brighterdaysahead has earned her place in the Champion Hurdle field as she is unbeaten in three starts this season. The talented mare won the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle by 30 lengths at Leopardstown over Christmas and that form suggests she would be major competition for Constitution Hill in the big one.
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We probably can’t take that form too literally, however, as State Man performed well below his best on the day. Her stablemate Winter Fog was runner-up and he’s essentially a handicapper, suggesting the 169-rated State Man was considerably below-par.
Brighterdaysahead also beat State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle, though, so it’s hard to make the case that there was any fluke to that success. The daughter of Kapgarde stays further and the uphill finish will play to her strengths.
It’s important to remember that she suffered a shock defeat in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle over 2m1f at Cheltenham last year and that perhaps doesn’t support a Champion Hurdle bid. She has taken her form to a new level this year, however, and it would be easy to forgive that defeat.
Mares’ Hurdle
Taking on Constitution Hill is a daunting challenge and connections may prefer the easier option of a Mares’ Hurdle bid. Any Cheltenham Festival win is a valid one and she would look almost impossible to beat if lining up. Lossiemouth would provide some serious competition but she’s likely to head to the Champion Hurdle and the Elliott and Mullins second and third strings fill the next few places in the betting. If she runs, she would be expected to win, and that’s surely a massive draw for connections.
She won a Grade 1 novice Hurdle at Aintree over 2m4f last spring and was well on top at the finish. Despite her impressive performances in two-mile Grade 1s this term, longer trips could suit her better in the long run and taking on Constitution Hill over 2m4f at Aintree might be the best option.
Owner Michael O’Leary loves a winner at Cheltenham and a penalty kick in the Mares’ Hurdle is a more than viable option.
Verdict
Every racing fan will want to see Brighterdaysahead lining up in the Champion Hurdle as we all want to see the best horses going up against each other. They would be right to press the case in this situation as she has a real chance of beating Constitution Hill. Connections will probably go for the easier option and if so, they risk missing out on having their mare crowned as a champion two-miler.