Gordon Elliot Set to Avoid Willie Mullins’ Army at Navan

Two of Gordon Elliot’s star chasing debutants were set to take on two of champion trainer Willie Mullins’ army at Navan over the weekend, however now it seems Elliot will avoid what could have been a very exciting couple of races, but his reasons may not be 100% true.

Mare Brighterdaysahead who had previously beat Willie Mullins’ champion hurdle winner State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle last season was set to make her very exciting chasing debut this weekend at Navan, a festival that Elliot loves to deploy some of his best horses, however now it has been confirmed that Brighterdaysahead will not be entered into either one of the beginner chases over the weekend. 

Elliot has stated that the six year old has had a minor setback in her training over fences so far, and wouldn’t be first to take on her rivals at Navan, however it is all too convenient that Mullins is also wheeling out his big guns for the beginners chase’s, and Elliot may have simply chosen to to run into too big of a competition.

For Elliot, Brighterdaysahead was the second of his very exciting chasing debutants alongside Romeo Coolio who won by 14 lengths in his debut at Down Royal, and she still is very well thought of. The two mile trip does look the best for Gigginstown’s star mare, and that was shown in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham after stamina proved to be an issue, and for Elliot, Navan is the perfect starting point, however his plans have quickly been squandered. 

It has been confirmed that no matter what she will go chasing this season, however it could be a couple more weeks until we fully find out how good she can be, and for Elliot, the challenge against Mullins’ very impressive and dangerous army may have made her debut look ingenuine, and could simply just be a decision to not give her a very tough first outing. 

Across the weekend Mullins has two of his best starting over fences in Cheltenham Festival winner Kopek Des Bordes, and the extremely exciting Final Demand who was beaten by now Champion Hurdle favourite The New Lion at Cheltenham. For Elliot the thought of running into what could be future festival winners may have been too much to ask of Brighterdaysahead, and is probably a smart move given how dangerous Mullins’ can be, and how tough it would be as a debut chase.