Brighterdaysahead to captain Elliott’s Leopardstown team

Brighterdaysahead is ready to spearhead Gordon Elliott’s Dublin Racing Festival squad.

The seven-year-old mare is on course for another clash with Willie Mullins’ Lossiemouth in the Irish Champion Hurdle after the two dominated the December Hurdle last month.

That was a first run of the season for Brighterdaysahead after plans to send her novice chasing had to be shelved and Elliott is expecting her to be even better at Leopardstown.

“She’s in great form. Shane McCann rides her every day and he’s very happy with her,” said Elliott.

“We think she’s improved from Leopardstown the first day, don’t forget she was stood in her box for two weeks in November.

“She was supposed to be going to Down Royal for a novice chase, that’s the route we were going, it was well publicised but she pulled a muscle and was lame. I’d say she missed two and a half to three weeks work.

“She has improved, she’s in very good form. Whether she’s good enough to beat Lossiemouth, I’m not saying that at all as we know she is very good but ours has improved, she’s in good form and I’m happy with her.

“The big, good looking ones don’t always translate to being good horses but if you look at her she has everything – she has the pedigree and the looks and hopefully she’ll run well.”

Romeo Coolio is another key runner across the two days for the trainer but whether he contests the Goffs Irish Arkle over an extended two miles or takes on Final Demand in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase over half a mile further has still to be decided.

“He’s a great horse, he’s won two Grade Ones already this season. He’s in both races at the DRF, the two-miler and over two-five, I’m under no pressure and we’ll leave the decision late,” said Elliott.

Western Fold is another entered in the two-mile-five race.

“He’s a very highly-rated novice. He’s had a good break and if you look back at his run at Down Royal (just behind Affordale Fury), for a novice that’s good form,” said the Cullentra handler.

With El Cairos potentially skipping the meeting, Ballyfad could lead Elliott’s hopes in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle.

“Ballyfad was good in Leopardstown, I was happy with what I saw and he’ll definitely go for the two-miler,” said Elliott.

“He was impressive there and while his home work isn’t fancy, I’m looking forward to running him.

“Skylight Hustle is in over two miles and two-five. He’s had three runs over hurdles this year, so whether we go to the DRF or not is not a certainty. It wouldn’t shock me if he stepped up in trip this season, he isn’t just a two-miler.

“It’s to be decided whether he goes straight to Cheltenham or runs at the DRF, he just doesn’t need another run but don’t be surprised if he goes.”

While both Mange Tout and Highland Crystal, two unbeaten four-year-old fillies, are entered in the Gannon’s City Recovery & Recycling Services Juvenile Hurdle, one is likely to run at Doncaster this weekend instead.

“At the moment Mange Tout looks the pick of our juveniles. We’ll probably run her, Barbizon and Immediate Effect. We could run Hardy Stuff as well.

“Mange Tout was good at Down Royal and Fairyhouse and she’s won in France before that, she’s a good mare, we like her. We’ll probably split her and Highland Crystal up, they are both in at Doncaster this weekend and both owned by Robcour. It looks like Highland Crystal could go to Doncaster.”