There'll be brighterdaysahead for Royals at Cheltenham

Meath connections hit the post on day one at Prestbury Park

Gordon Elliott may not have reached the winner’s enclosure on day one but a couple of his contingent ran quite well including Brighterdaysahead in the feature Champion Hurdle. There was many doubters who said that Elliott’s star mare would not be able to handle two previous poor attempts at Prestbury Park.

However, Jack Kennedy’s mount finished a very respectable 2nd behind the talented Lossiemouth who put all her opponents to the sword. Willie Mullins incredible grey comfortably dispatched of the field and was six and a half lengths clear of Brighterdaysahead at the line.

In the opener the Elliott-trained El Cairos fared the best of the Irish as he finished fifth, nine lengths off the winner Old Park Star.

Search For Glory definitely would have picked up some prize money at least in the Ultima handicap chase if he did not blunder at the last. The mistake was enough to unship his rider James Smith.

Gavin Cromwell's Will the Wise and John McConnell’s Moon D’Orange both ran cracking races in the penultimate Plate handicap chase. Will the Wise was fairly prominent throughout under Keith Donoghue and battled on well to finish 2nd behind the runaway winner Madara. McConnell’s Moon D’Orange did not get off to the best start and came from a long way back to finish third.