This should be a straightforward task for BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD back against her own sex and Gordon Elliott's top-class mare can bounce back from a below-par effort in the Champion Hurdle. Of the Willie Mullins-trained trio, Jade De Grugy will offer the biggest challenge to the favourite on the back of a good second to Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle. July Flower can follow them home in third. [Adrian Wall]
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Rallied gamely to beat State Man in the Morgiana (soft), then produced a scintillating performance at Leopardstown (2m, good to yielding) where she powered clear and produced a winning margin (30l) that is rare at Grade 1 level, recording a fast time to boot; nowhere near that level when a remote fourth in a messy Champion Hurdle but her only two career defeats have been at Cheltenham; highly talented mare will take all the beating back against her own sex up in trip.
Runner-up in the 2023 Triumph; finished remote sixth in last season's Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and was out the back when falling three out in this season's renewal after only finishing third in a Listed hurdle at Warwick the time before; runner-up in Fairyhouse Grade 2 on latest when receiving plenty of weight from the winner; up against it here.
Classy mare's only defeats from six starts for Willie Mullins was when fourth to Golden Ace in the Dawn Run at last year's Festival and runner-up to Lossiemouth in the Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle this term; relished this trip when a dominant winner of Grade 1 Mares' Novice at Fairyhouse (heavy) on her final start last season and returned to give weight and a beating to five rivals in Grade 3 at Punchestown (2m4f, soft) in Februray; can give Brighterdaysahead most to do.
Ninth in Aintree Grade 2 bumper in her first spell with Henry de Bromhead but did well over hurdles back in France (third in French Champion Hurdle last May); improved again returned to this yard when winning Leopardstown Grade 3 (2m4f, good to yielding) in December; has 5.5l to make up on Jade De Grugy on her latest Mares' Hurdle fifth so needs to improve.
Talented dual-purpose sort; won back-to-back over hurdles this season, including a Listed mares' hurdle around here (2m2f, soft), but jumping let her down when tailed off in Grade 3 at Leopardstown in December; well behind Jade De Grugy in the Grade 3 Quevega here in February and looks like Willie Mullins' third string here.
Made it 5-8 over hurdles with 9l Listed win at Doncaster (3m, good to soft) in December; respectable third in hot Grade 2 there (3m, good to soft) subsequently; disappointed in third when sent off favourite for six-runner Listed contest at Kelso (24.5f) on latest; drop in trip is fine but she will be outclassed in this company.
1/4 Odds Place 1,2
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