Brighterdaysahead bypasses Aintree Hurdle outing
REDEMPTION MISSION: Brighterdaysahead will seek atonement for her Cheltenham disappointment at Punchestown rather than Aintree. Picture: Damien Eagers/PA
Brighterdaysahead will sidestep a potential clash with Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle and instead be saved for the Punchestown Festival.
Gordon Elliott's mare claimed a Grade One double earlier this season in the Morgiana Hurdle and the Neville Hotels Hurdle, when scoring by 30 lengths in spectacular fashion, but was below par in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, fading out to finish a distant fourth behind Golden Ace.
Eddie O'Leary of owners Gigginstown House Stud said: "Gordon tells us she's in very good form at home but he wants to give her a bit more time after the last day.
"We'll skip Aintree and go to Punchestown now instead and all being well she'll go for the mares' Grade One over two and a half miles (Mares Champion Hurdle).
"We're going to going to go chasing with her next year, so this will give her the time she needs and hopefully she'll run well at Punchestown.
"That wasn't her in Cheltenham, we hope we'll see the real her again at Punchestown. It's the wrong way round for her but at least it's two and a half miles."
Meanwhile, Harry Fry is yet to decide which race to tackle with Gidleigh Park at the Grand National Festival.
Fry has the option of running his charge in the opening EBC Group Manifesto Novices' Chase over two and a half miles on Thursday or waiting until Saturday's two-mile Rosconn Group Maghull Novices' Chase.
Gidleigh Park has had a disrupted season and Fry said: "We've got to have a sit down today and have a look at the two races and decide which one to go for."
Gidleigh Park impressively beat Caldwell Potter at Windsor in January but a setback saw him miss Cheltenham, while the Paul Nicholls inmate went on to make all for victory in the Jack Richards Novices' Chase.
Fry added: "It was great to see him (Caldwell Potter) winning so well and it was obviously frustrating we couldn't get to the Festival ourselves, but he's in good order and we're looking forward to Aintree and it's great to have a decision to be made."
Stablemate Altobelli is likely to step up in trip to three miles in the Liverpool Hurdle on Merseyside.
The seven-year-old is coming off a pair of victories at Ascot as he steps up into Grade One open company for the first time.
Fry said: "We felt all along that we would like to step him up in trip again, so the Liverpool Hurdle is the preference.
"We'll be following the declarations for the Aintree Hurdle, so if that cut up particularly in the morning for Thursday we might have a look, but the preference has always been the three-mile option on Saturday."
