RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL FESTIVAL NEWS: BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD BACK TO HER BEST WITH STUNNING SUCCESS IN GRADE ONE TURNERS MERSEY NOVICES’ HURDLE
Saturday 13th April
Brighterdaysahead (6-5 Favourite) made it six wins from seven starts when coming home the comfortable winner of the Grade One Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle.
The five-year-old mare, who lost her unbeaten record at Cheltenham last month, came home seven and a half lengths clear of her stable companion Staffordshire Knot.
Gordon Elliott said: “The horses have been running well all week, but we have been hitting the crossbar. I didn’t hide what I thought about this mare going to Cheltenham, and I was gutted coming out of it, but we have all enjoyed today. She is very good.
"I was nervous before the race today as she looked a bit light across her kidneys, and hips, but she showed how special she is. We could go wherever we want with her. Apple’s Jade was pretty special, but she is good.
"In this game there are always disappointments, but I look at life totally different now to what I’ve ever done. I love training winners, and horses, but to win with this mare is unbelievable. I thought she would win at Cheltenham. If you looked at Willie’s horse (Jade De Grugy) that won at Fairyhouse and her (at Cheltenham) I think Jack (Kennedy) and Paul (Townend) let the race get away from them. I’m not going to say she is better (than the boys), but she is good. She is gorgeous.”
Winning jockey Jack Kennedy told ITV Racing: "She showed there what we've always thought of her. I really wanted to hold on to her for longer but I couldn't. She just put me there, going very easily. She's a very talented mare.
"I really can't put my finger on it (how she got beat at Cheltenham). It was a bit of a mess of a race and we didn't go much of a gallop, so she was keen. It was disappointing she didn't win there as we knew she was better than that, so it's nice for her to show that to everyone here today."
The jockey went to on to say: “I had a bit of cover on her today and she settled a bit better, and I suppose obviously she was up in trip, a slow-run two miles would be no problem for her, the gallop they went the last day was really what caught her out the last day, and I’m just pleased she showed what we could do today. We were so disappointed at Cheltenham, but it was the case that we couldn’t be all so far wrong. I’m glad we came here and she showed what she could do.
“I don’t know whether she’ll stay over hurdles next year or go chasing, that’s up to the O’Learys and Gordon, but she’s very smart and I’m sure there’ll be more Grade Ones for her.”
Charlie Longsdon, trainer of the third Bugise Seagull (50-1), said: “He was 50/1, so he wasn’t given a chance, but I knew he was better than his Sidney Banks [Huntingdon, 8 February] run because he had to make it like that day, and he doesn’t really like being in front - he was hesitant at all his jumps - and we thought he was better than that, which which put him on a par with Handstands, who won the race. And we saw Jango Baie, who was second, run brilliantly yesterday. We thought we’d chance our arm - I thought he was a 25/1 shot, not a 50/1 shot - and I’m over the moon. He’s not straightforward to train, but he’s a lovely horse. The winner is a brilliant mare but he’s run a cracking race. We’ll chuck him in the field now and he can have a holiday.
“It’s been a bad season - the horses were ill and they came back on heavy ground, and it isn’t easy to come back from being ill on heavy ground. He’s kept the flag flying for the yard, to be brutally honest. It’s difficult once the likes of Snow Leopardess retire - you’re missing that good, flagship horse - and while we’d normally have 50 winners a year, we’ve had 20. It’s just one of those things, but we’ll get over it and hopefully this is the turn of things to come.”
