Gordon Elliott has confirmed his star mare Brighterdaysahead will remain over hurdles for the 2024/25 jumps season, with the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in her sights.
In an exclusive stable tour for attheraces.comElliott revealed his team had considered going over fences with their Grade One Mersey Novices’ Hurdle winner, but will instead stick to the smaller obstacles, with a return date set for the beginning of November.
Brighterdaysahead won four of her five starts last season, beaten only by Golden Ace in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
“We strongly considered sending her novice chasing, but the decision is made, and she’ll stay hurdling,” Elliott said. “She’ll start back in the Jezki Hurdle at Down Royal on November 1.
“She looks to be an obvious candidate for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in the longer term.
“We’ve never hidden how highly we regard her, and we can’t wait to get her back on the track. We think the world of her.”
Meanwhile, it is business as usual for Elliott’s Stayers’ Hurdle hero Teacup as the seven-year-old follows a familiar path to the Cheltenham Festival in March.
“We took a view on what sort of campaign would suit him best last season and it worked out well, so we’ll do the same again this season,” Elliott said.
“He’ll start in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and then be kept fresh for the Stayers’ Hurdle. He’s still only a seven-year-old and if we can keep him right he could be on top of this division for a few years yet.”
Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe will also head down the same route as the previous campaign, starting with Down Royal’s Champion Chase next month.
“All being well he’ll go the same route as he did last season,” Elliott said. “He showed himself to be a top-class chaser when finishing a very good second in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival and it makes sense to try and get him back there again.”
