Brighterdaysahead primed for Lossiemouth rematch at Leopardstown

Gordon Elliott has made no secret of the regard in which he holds Brighterdaysahead but is well aware his mare has to improve to beat Lossiemouth in the Timeless Sash Windows Irish Champion Hurdle.

The pair met at Christmas when Lossiemouth came out on top but Willie Mullins’ grey had the benefit of race fitness on her side.

With a run under her belt and no aversion to the testing conditions on offer at Leopardstown on Sunday, Elliott is keen to see how she gets on.

“She is in great form, she won’t mind the softer ground and we’re looking forward to her,” said Elliott.

“She has to improve to beat Lossiemouth, but our mare is in good form so we’ll do our best and see what happens.”

The only time Lossiemouth has finished outside the first two in her career was when she took a heavy fall in the corresponding race 12 months ago, almost bringing down stablemate and eventual winner State Man.

Since that fall she is unbeaten, winning at Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown and when seeing off Brighterdaysahead at Christmas.

“She took a bad fall in this race last year but that was probably just one of those things,” said assistant trainer Patrick Mullins.

“I’d say Brighterdaysahead is probably going to be a bit sharper coming into this than she was at Christmas and I don’t suppose there’ll be much between them.”

Willie Mullins also runs Anzadam, Triumph Hurdle winner Poniros and El Fabiolo.

“You can’t forget Anzadam either, it looks like a proper, proper race,” Patrick Mullins added.

“He’s very lightly raced and you’d imagine this race might suit him a bit better with a stronger gallop and a smaller field.

“I’d say he’s a horse that’s got a lot of untapped potential.”

Paul Townend is on Lossiemouth and he told Betway: “I think it is going to be a different race to Christmas.

“I thought I had to do the donkey work to catch up with Anzadam when he went by us down the back straight. Then I was just left in front and I felt I was always holding Brighterdaysahead.

“Lossiemouth doesn’t usually take off and gallop away from horses, certainly when she’s not asked to. I’d be hoping to get the better of her again. We had race fitness going into Christmas and now they’ve got the run on their belt.

“I travelled into the straight much better than Jack. He was niggling away at the back of the second last round into the home straight and she stayed galloping right to the line. That would lead me to believe she was pretty race-ready. So, I thought I was a snug winner the last day.”

Sean Graham, racing manager to Tony Bloom who owns Poniros, who is making his seasonal debut said: “It’s been the sensible thing to do, to not run him until now, because if you look through history, every year the four-year-olds who run too early in the season against older horses find it almost impossible to beat them.

“They are just not as strong and I don’t know why it is, but they are always up against it and it is only after Christmas that you get closer to them having a chance in these races.

“It’s always been the plan and it’s not like he’s had any setback.”