Sweet vindication for trainer Elliott who always believed in Brighterdaysahead
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Brighterdaysahead is everything Gordon Elliott has always said she was. A season over fences was mooted but a late decision was made to keep her over hurdles for another season and that was vindicated when she and rider Sam Ewing routed the opposition, which included Champion Hurdler State Man, in the Neville Hotels Hurdle on Sunday afternoon’s card in Leopardstown.
For the winning trainer, it capped a memorable day as she was his 100th Grade One winner, following on from The Enabler’s earlier success, which brought his tally of National Hunt winners in Ireland to 2000.
The feature race was a fascinating watch as King Of Kingsfield, also in the Gigginstown House Stud colours, set off in front, with his stablemate and eventual winner some three lengths behind, and the long odds-on favourite, State Man, struggling to keep tabs on them.
There were some six lengths between second and third as they crossed the first, and that gap only increased as they maintained a strong tempo up front and State Man, apparently under the weather, clearly unable to go the gallop. As the front two turned out of the back, it was abundantly obvious there could be only one result, as the odds-on favourite was a proverbial mile back in third place.
The mare took over from two out and as her stablemate began to tread water, she got stronger and stronger. She simply galloped on majestically to put 30 lengths between herself and Winter Fog, who got up late to take second place from State Man.
“It’s never over until you get over the last, but I was nervous watching the race,” admitted Elliott. “Everyone knows I think the world of her, and today was our day and we’re going to enjoy it.
“Watching the race, I was wondering if they were going too fast. We said we’d go out and go a testing pace and see what happens. King Of Kingsfield made a mistake at the second-last down the back and I thought, ‘oh my God, he’s going to fall in front of her'."
Of his personal achievement of reaching his hundredth Grade One winner, he admitted a particular satisfaction in being able to share it with his biggest backers.
“It’s brilliant, and it’s good to get it for the lads who have supported me through thick and thin," added Elliott. "I’ve got a brilliant bunch of owners and staff, and these men (Michael and Eddie O’Leary) have backed me all the way.
"I also want to give a word to Jack Kennedy: she’s Jack’s mare and as soon as he’s back, he’ll be back riding all these horses. Sam’s doing a brilliant job, but Jack is first jockey and as soon as he’s back, they’re all here for him.”
For Ewing, it was a fifth winner and third Grade One of the meeting as he continues to impressively make hay in the unfortunate absence of Kennedy.
“She’s shown us all today what she really is,” said the rider. “I’m over the moon, really. She’s a special, special mare. Danny (Gilligan, on King Of Kingsfield) went a good, honest gallop on him, and I followed him, and she jumped fairly well everywhere today.
“I was waiting for State Man to be hot on my heels, to be honest. He comes fast so I didn't want to be looking behind me. I couldn’t be happier with her. I think she’s shown us today that there are a lot of options for her.”
The results had the ante-post market for the Champion Hurdle in a spin as Brighterdaysahead had her odds cut from 20-1 to a best-price 5-1, while reigning champion State Man was pushed out to 11-1 in a place. His stable companion, Lossiemouth, had a couple of points shaved off her odds with many firms, leaving her as short as 4-1 and no bigger than 7-1, but Constitution Hill remains at the top of the market, no better than 8-11.
Earlier in the day, Elliott reached the landmark 2,000 over jumps in this country when The Enabler shaded the verdict in a thrilling finish to the Grant Fit Out Maiden Hurdle. Also ridden by Ewing and owned by Gigginstown House Stud, he contested the lead from the outset and Ewing was strong enough to keep him in front as I Am Lorenzo made rapid late gains to reduce the gap to a short head.