Brighterdaysahead will contest the Unibet Champion Hurdle at next week's Cheltenham Festival.
The Gordon Elliott-trained mare has been beaten just once in her 10-race career and will head to Prestbury Park after notching back-to-back Grade One victories in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in November and Leopardstown’s Neville Hotels Hurdle at Christmas.
She beat last year’s Champion Hurdle hero State Man by three-quarters of a length on the first occasion and that rival was left toiling in December, as Brighterdaysahead had him over 31 lengths away in third.
Elliott and owner Gigginstown House Stud had been left with the dilemma of contesting the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, for which Brighterdaysahead was a hot favourite, or tackling Constitution Hill in the main event, with the latter option now her confirmed target.
The trainer told www.gordonelliottracing.com: "I can confirm that Brighterdaysahead will be going for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. After talking it over with Michael and Eddie (O’Leary), we decided that we would take up the option of the Champion Hurdle.
"Obviously it’s going to be a huge test for the mare but she’s in great shape, her preparation has gone superbly and she’s in great order.
"We’ve never won a Champion Hurdle and it is great to have a challenger for one of National Hunt racing’s most iconic races, so it’s something we are greatly looking forward to."
The Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth and Golden Ace (above) from Jeremy Scott's yard are two Champion Hurdle entries that could swerve the main event in favour of the mares' contest, and Scott had previously said the destinations of his rivals would have a bearing on where Golden Ace lines up at the meeting.
"She’s in very good form, we’re very happy with her," said Scott of Golden Ace, who was last seen winning the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.
"It’s interesting that they have stated Brighterdaysahead is going to run in the Champion Hurdle, that means we would be leaning more towards the mares’ race but we will see where Lossiemouth ends up as well.
"They may leave it to the last moment and that’s pretty much what we’ll do, she’s all on track anyway.
"I’d be perfectly happy with either trip on the sort of ground I think we’ll get, so she could run in either race in that respect.
"She had a small muscle issue which seems to have resolved itself with the help of the physio, so I’d say we’re as near to 100% as you could be."
