'I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle' - Brighterdaysahead stars as Gordon Elliott dominates

Brighterdaysahead (left) made a successful start to the seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Brighterdaysahead remained 5-2 joint-favourite for the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Paddy Power after a convincing success in the Grade 3 Bottlegreen Hurdle, but trainer Gordon Elliott said it would not be a surprise if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle. The same firm cut her to 20-1 (from 33) for that contest.

It was not totally plain sailing for the five-year-old as she had to make her own running and did not pay her hurdles much respect. But the mistakes did not take much out of her and she stretched away from the final flight under Sam Ewing to see off the challenge of stablemate King Of Kingsfield by three and three-quarter lengths.

Elliott, who saddled an odds-on four-timer on the card, said: "We were nervous of it turning into a sprint so I told Sam to make it a good gallop the whole way. He said she had a good blow and will come on plenty for it. She is never going to win by much, but she is a good mare.

"She will go two miles or two and a half miles, and I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle."

Elliott saddled 11 of the 14 winners at this two-day meeting last year, including six on the corresponding Friday. The trainer's high-class novice hurdler Firefox made his debut over fences in the 2m4f beginners' chase, and did not disappoint.

The six-year-old put in an immaculate round of jumping under Ewing to see off the Henry de Bromhead-trained Mossy Fen Park, his main market rival, to remain a 6-1 shot for the Arkle with Paddy Power.

Elliott said: "He probably learned more than in any novice chase with Henry's horse taking him on and jumping as well as him. Sam said he just gave him a squeeze coming down the hill and he picked up. I wouldn't be afraid of coming back in trip."

Firefox's win brought up a first career treble for Ewing, who started the day with an easy nine-length victory on Elliott's The Yellow Clay in the 2m6½f maiden hurdle.

The Cullentra four-timer was completed when Harry Swan won the bumper on the Gigginstown-owned Jacob's Ladder.

Sansrisk shows heart

She might not be very big, but Sansrisk has plenty of heart and showed it in abundance to fight off a strong field to land the Grade 3 mares' novice hurdle and continue the good season of her Galway Plate-winning rider Donagh Meyler.

The five-year-old was always in a good position, but a mistake at the second-last when she had her head in front did knock her momentum. It was only temporary, though, as she battled her way back to the front jumping the last and forged clear on the run to the line to beat equally tough front-runner Royal Hollow by three and a half lengths.

Sansrisk was following up her win in a mares' maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last month, and winning trainer Philip Dempsey said: "We're thrilled with that, especially the way she came back and won like she did after giving the second-last a good clout.

"She had very good form a year ago and I thought she was unlucky not to win a bumper. But we can park all that off now. The plan now is to wait for the spring as I don't really think there is much for her at Leopardstown at Christmas, or even at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"We could go to England, and maybe we can dream a little about Cheltenham with her."

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