Gordon Elliott's belief in Brighterdaysahead proved well justified - three things we learned last week

Three key takeaways from across the week . . .

Title odds underestimating Nicholls and Skelton

Could we have an Irish winner of the British trainers' title? The bookies seem to think so, with Willie Mullins odds-on to finish top of the standings in two weeks' time after his National success, but some of the prices available about Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls are baffling.

Skelton is a shorter price than Nicholls with most bookmakers, yet you can get 4-1 about him with Paddy Power – Nicholls is 2-1 second-favourite with that firm.

That looks big considering little more than £50,000 separates Skelton from Mullins, and he's going to be throwing everything at his title bid, as demonstrated by his bumper entry for the two-day meetings at Cheltenham and Ayr.

Skelton has the ante-post favourite for the Scottish Champion Hurdle in L'Eau Du Sud and has six entries for the Scottish National including Le Milos, who is also second-favourite for the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown's finale meeting. Victory in any of those would send him clear.

And who could write off 14-time champion Nicholls? Il Ridoto, Rubaud, Stay Away Fay and Threeunderthrufive all feature prominently in ante-post markets, yet their trainer is 5-1 with William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral to retain his title. Nicholls also has a great record at Sandown's meeting – he enjoyed a five-timer there a couple of years ago.

Skelton and Nicholls will be throwing a lot more darts than Mullins and all their midweek prize-money will add up. Their prices will look massive should victory in a big race or two go their way.
Harry Wilson

Elliott’s faith is well placed

Gordon Elliott has always held Brighterdaysahead in high regard. Talking about the five-year-old in his pre-Cheltenham Racing Post stable tour, Elliott said: “She’s a proper mare. She's very, very good, and I don't say that about too many.”

Punters took heed of Elliott’s bullishness, and Brighterdaysahead was backed into 5-6 favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. Although beaten there she came out best at the weights, conceding 5lb to the winner Golden Ace, and a slowly run race over a trip short of her best did not play to her strengths.

Brighterdaysahead: landed the Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree

Brighterdaysahead (Jack Kennedy) wins the Mersey Novices' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Brighterdaysahead was stepped back up to 2m4f for the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Saturday, and despite the pace once again being slow, she strolled into the lead three out before cantering to a seven-and-a-half-length success.

That winning margin could have been far greater had jockey Jack Kennedy asked any serious questions of Brighterdaysahead, and comparisons have been drawn with Elliott's former multiple Grade 1 winner Apple’s Jade, who raced in the same maroon and white silks of owner Gigginstown House Stud.

Whether Brighterdaysahead stays hurdling or is sent over fences next season remains to be seen, but she holds serious potential and Saturday’s Grade 1 win should be the first of many.
Joe Eccles

Smith shines on the big stage

El Jefe was the biggest-priced winner at the Grand National meeting when landing the concluding 2m½f conditionals' and amateur riders’ handicap hurdle at 40-1 on Friday and his jockey, who performed a minor miracle to pull off victory, is one to note.

It would have been easy for Ben Smith, the 18-year-old son of East Ayrshire trainer Mike Smith, to panic when the front pack gained a big lead on his mount, but he did quite the opposite.

The Andrew Hamilton-trained El Jefe was well detached at the fourth-last and hit 1,000 in running on the Betfair Exchange, but Smith’s patient approach proved a perfect one, with the leaders floundering late on and his mount powering home for a length-and-a-half success.

It was a really well-judged ride – one described by Hamilton as “class” and “like a professional” – on the bottomweight rated just 109.

Smith had his first ride under rules only in December but has an eyecatching record of five winners, three seconds, two thirds and two fourths from his 19 mounts.

Remarkably, El Jefe was Smith’s first outside ride. He’ll be having plenty more soon on this evidence.
Jack Haynes

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