Brighterdaysahead to face Constitution Hill in Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham

Trainer Gordon Elliott has confirmed that his superstar Brighterdaysahead will take on the imperious Constitution Hill in a mouth-watering Champion Hurdle tussle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Racing fans have been waiting to see if connections would target the Mares' Hurdle instead on the opening day, but the six-year-old will go up against Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill in the first Championship race of the week.

After finishing second in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at last year's Festival, Brighterdaysahead then became a Grade 1 winner by taking the honours in the Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle at the Aintree Grand National Festival.

A relatively routine seasonal reappearance at Down Royal in November was followed by a stunning victory in the Morgiana Hurdle three weeks later, where she narrowly defeated last year's Champion Hurdle winner State Man.

But it was at Leopardstown over the Christmas period when Brighterdaysahead sensationally showcased her Champion Hurdle credentials, winning the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle by 30 lengths and demolishing State Man in the process.

Gordon Elliott told the Racing Post: "None of us have won the Champion Hurdle before and we feel this is probably our best chance yet. Jack Kennedy has always been her biggest fan and he will ride her.

"She's a really powerful mare now and we feel she deserves to take her chance in the big one."

Constitution Hill will still go off as favourite for the Champion Hurdle but the supposed formality is now far from certain as we prepare for a potential all-time classic at Prestbury Park.

Brighterdaysahead Champion Hurdle Odds

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Matt Gibbs

• Cheltenham Racecourse
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