Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead Wins Aintree Hurdle

Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy celebrated two victories on the opening day of the Grand National meeting, with Brighterdaysahead triumphing in the Aintree Hurdle. The horse, trained by Elliott, went off as the 13-8 favorite after last year’s Champion Hurdle winner, Lossiemouth, opted out of the race. Potters Charm led for much of the contest, but Kennedy’s steering brought Brighterdaysahead to the front as they approached the final stretch.

“She is a great mare. She lost nothing in defeat at the Cheltenham Festival—she was beaten by another superstar. It’s lovely for her to come here and get the job done,” Kennedy said to ITV.

Kennedy noted that the mare’s performance in the Aintree race was slightly more intense than intended, but praised her stamina and agility. “She is incredibly quick and a very slick hurdler for her size. She can make up plenty of ground,” he added. Elliott echoed these sentiments, calling Brighterdaysahead a “champion” and expressing confidence in her ability to handle the distance. “She was awesome. I was nervous but it was easy to watch. Jack was brilliant on her,” he said.

Grand National Pinstickers’ Guide

Among the other notable results, Jango Baie dominated the Racing Welfare Bowl Chase, finishing 16 lengths ahead of Protektorat. Nico de Boinville, who had earlier been unseated on Lulamba, regained control to position the Nicky Henderson-trained horse advantageously in the home straight. Paul Townend’s Impaire Et Passe challenged the even-money favorite but fell at the penultimate fence, allowing Darragh O’Keefe’s Koktail Divin to secure the win.

In the Juvenile Hurdle, Elliott’s Mange Tout narrowly edged out the 9-4 favorite Selma De Vary. The 5-1 shot surged over the final hurdle and held off Paul Townend’s efforts. Winning jockey Kennedy mentioned that skipping the Cheltenham Festival in March “helped” the horse’s focus for the Aintree race.

Barton Snow completed a Cheltenham and Aintree double by claiming the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase. Henry Crow guided the favorite to a seven-length win over Lets Go Champ.