Leopardstown Christmas Festival: Brighterdaysahead outclasses State Man

Brighterdaysahead earned a thumping 30-length victory over last season’s Champion Hurdle winner State Man in landing the Neville Hotels Hurdle on the final day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival.

State Man had been a 4-9 favourite to avenge his narrow defeat by the Gordon Elliott-trained mare at Punchestown last month and earn a third successive win in the big Leopardstown hurdle.

But the race turned into a no contest as 5-2 shot Brighterdaysahead followed her pacemaker stablemate King of Kingsfield over the opening mile with the Willie Mullins-trained favourite already close to a dozen lengths adrift in third spot.

Brighterdaysahead, ridden by Sam Ewing because of Jack Kennedy’s injury-enforced absence, moved into the lead just before the penultimate hurdle and, despite a slightly untidy jump at the last, went on to extend her advantage as State Man was pipped for the runner-up spot by 66-1 shot Winter Fog.

The victory gave Elliott his 100th Grade One triumph after earlier saddling his 2,000th Irish National Hunt winner.

“I was nervous watching it as I was wondering if they were going too fast,” said Elliott afterwards.

On his 100th Grade One winner, he added: “It’s good to get it for the lads (Michael and Eddie O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud) who have supported me through thick and thin.”