Gordon Elliott has confirmed his star mare Brighterdayhead will remain over hurdles in the 2024/25 jumps season, with the Mares Hurdle in his sights at the Cheltenham Festival.
Exceptionally stable for touring attheraces.comElliott revealed his team had considered going over fences with their Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle winner but will stick to smaller hurdles instead, with a return date set for early November.
Brighterdaysahead won four of his five starts last season, only beaten by Golden Ace in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
“We were strongly considering sending him to chase the rookie, but the decision is made and he’s going to continue to get in the way,” Elliott said. “He will be back in the Jezki Hurdle at Down Royal on November 1.
“He looks set to be an obvious candidate for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in the long run.
“We’ve never hidden how much we think of him and we can’t wait to get him back on track. We are thinking about him.”
Meanwhile Elliott’s Stayers’ Hurdle is routine for the hero A cup of tea as the seven-year-old takes a familiar route to the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Gordon Elliott and team celebrate with Teahupoo in Punchestown
“We brainstormed what kind of campaign would suit him best last season and it worked out well, so we’ll do the same this season,” Elliott said.
“He will start in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and then be kept fresh for the Stayers’ Hurdle.” He’s only seven years old and if we can keep him right he could be at the top of this division for a few more years. “.
Gold Cup runner-up Gerry Colombe Will also follow the same path as the previous campaign, starting with Down Royal’s Champion Chase next month.
“It’s all good, he’ll go the same way he did last season,” Elliott said. “He proved himself a top chaser when he finished a very good second in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and it makes sense to try and get him back there again.”
