'The Mares' Hurdle is made for her' - Champion bid unlikely for Brighterdaysahead despite downing State Man in Morgiana

Brighterdaysahead threw her name right into the Champion Hurdle picture as she inflicted a rare defeat on State Man to record her greatest success to date, with a battling victory in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle.

In a week where the Champion Hurdle picture was well and truly muddied by the unconvincing racecourse gallop of 2023 winner Constitution Hill, it was expected that last season's champion State Man would make the waters look a good deal clearer by winning this event for the third year in a row, but it proved not to be the case.

Not that State Man appeared to do a lot wrong. Paul Townend tracked the Gordon Elliott-trained mare, who led on sufferance, and picked up well to go past her between the last two flights. However, a slight mistake at the last interrupted his momentum just enough and the battling qualities of Brighterdaysahead came into focus in the last 100 yards, as she rallied strongly on the inner to score by three parts of a length, extending her record to eight wins from nine starts.

The first two pulled well clear of Winter Fog, a further 13 lengths away in third.

All smiles for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy after Brighterdaysahead's victoryCredit: Patrick McCann

State Man's stablemate Lossiemouth was pulled out of the race at the eleventh hour due to a sore foot, but by staying in her box at Closutton she was the main beneficiary in the Champion Hurdle market. Paddy Power shortened her to 15-8 favourite from 5-2, Brighterdaysahead was cut to 4-1 from 14s and State Man went out to 7-2 from 5-2. 

The winner remains 5-2 favourite for the Mares' Hurdle and that race for now looks as though it may be her main target.

Elliott said: “It was a good performance. I know the winner didn't have race fitness on his side, but we did plenty wrong too. She went left and was idling in front. It was not ideal to make the running but it was a good performance.

“She would be better with a lead and maybe going left-handed. We have all the options now, but the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham looks like it's made for her. We're not ruling anything out, though.”

Winning rider Jack Kennedy expects that Brighterdaysahead can improve again. “She had to do it the hard way," he said. "To be honest, I would say she hated it out in front; she did all the donkey work and was very tough. State Man came down to challenge and she didn't lie down to him.

“I had an idea they were going to try and make it steady, so I had to go out and make the running on her. It didn't suit but it worked out. 

"A good pace would bring out the stamina in her. She is improving the whole time and would have learned a lot today, having to go out and do it like that.”

Connections of State Man were not downhearted as the seven-year-old suffered his first defeat in completed starts in Ireland, his only previous reverse coming was when falling in a maiden hurdle in 2021.

Willie Mullins said: “He ran a fine race; he got to the front but just needed the run. The winner is a good mare and we will see at the end of the season what we were beaten by, but we are happy enough. 

"When it came down to a battle she was too good today, but I never mind being beaten by a good horse.”

Townend added of his mount: “He ran a cracker. He came to win and I suppose race fitness probably showed from the last home, but I was delighted with him. He was not beaten by a slouch either.”

Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11)
Paddy Power: 15-8 Lossiemouth, 7-2 State Man, 4 Brighterdaysahead, Constitution Hill, 7 Sir Gino, 10 Mystical Power, 25 bar

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