Paddy Brennan's Countdown to Cheltenham - Champion Hurdle The Right Choice For Brighterdaysahead
Here at Freebets.com, in the run-up to the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, we'll sit down each week with six-time Festival-winning jockey Paddy Brennan to get his thoughts on the latest Cheltenham news, exclusive insights, and expert analysis.
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Gordon Elliott has said Brighterdaysahead is his "best chance" of winning the Champion Hurdle in his career. If she was your horse, where would you run her at Cheltenham?
If you take all the indications from Gordon Elliot to me, it sounds like she will run in the Champion Hurdle on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival - and that would be the right decision.
Constitution Hill needs no introduction - but if there's ever a time to try and beat him, it's now.
If I were a guessing man, I'd say she would run in the Champion Hurdle.
Still on Brighterdaysahead - if she did stick to the Mares' Hurdle, she could face Lossiemouth and Jade De Grugy. If all three clashed, who would come out on top?
I've been a massive, massive Lossiemouth fan since the start of the season.
Obviously, at Kempton, she got beat, but she wasn't disgraced before her fall at the Dublin Racing Festival.
It's a good question. The two-and-a-half miles would suit Brighterdaysahead more than anyone, so I would probably side with her.
It's mental that both Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth could run in the Champion Hurdle.
I've said if you're going to try and take on Constitution Hill, now is the time.
Brighterdaysahead would put some real spice into the Champion Hurdle with the pressure she'll put into it from the minute the tape rises.
She would commit early, which would be really interesting.
Ballyburn is a short-priced favourite for the Brown Advisory. Would you be a backer or a layer at the 7/4 mark?
At that price, I'd be a layer.
He's obviously a very talented horse, but most of the hype is because of his name. Yes, he won at Leopardstown at the DRF, but he didn't blow me away. I don't see him as unbeatable - he's short enough, but him not being odds-on tells you a story. He's not a banker.
You can make a case for him, but you could make a case against him.
Gameofinches won yesterday - and is now the favourite for the Champion Bumper. Were you impressed with his run?
Yes - I was impressed with him. He's a massive horse at just six years old.
I'm not in the know about Irish bumper horses because I'm not over there - you can see them on TV, but they all look to win the same way - they all look impressive.
I wouldn't rule the David Pipe horse out - Windbeneathmywings, who won at Ascot.
Many of the runners in the bumper, the finale on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival, are all ground-dependent.
If you look at Gameofinches yesterday, the ground couldn't be soft enough for him - he would plough through it if it came up soft or heavy at Cheltenham.
The bumper is a bit of a lottery ticket, and it's mental that Gameofinches came out only yesterday and is now the favourite.
He looked like a monster of a horse, but it wasn't the best race I've seen, and it's a huge step up in the Champion Bumper with the undulations at Cheltenham, plus potentially on quicker ground.
Lastly, just on the weekend, Tripoli Flyer runs in the Dovecote at Kempton. Is there any word on how he is?
Tripoli Flyer is a horse I love - he oozes quality and has class.
The only thing I'd say is if, if you'd found yourself going to have a 3lb penalty, you probably wouldn't have run him at Musselburgh.
He's now having to give 3lbs to Miami Magic, a horse that ran 2nd to Potters Charm in a Grade 1.
It might not sound a lot, but it's a penalty he could have done without - Miami Magic will put a lot of pressure on in the race from an early stage, and he's won well around Kempton.
That could be the difference between winning and losing tomorrow - he's got a massive chance, but that 3lb could be key.
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