Gordon Elliott has outlined his approach to the 2026 Cheltenham Festival build-up regarding some of his stable stars.
Elliott’s hopes will be pinned to the likes of Brighterdaysahead, Romeo Coolio & Teahupoo at Cheltenham next month. For the first-named pair, their Cheltenham preparations hinge on some uncertainty.
For Brighterdaysahead, that uncertainty surrounds her suitability for Cheltenham. The mare has been a strong fancy for the last two festivals, first when an odds-on favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in 2024, when beaten by Golden Ace, and latterly last year when second favourite for the Champion Hurdle. Once again, it was Golden Ace’s wake she trailed in.
However, Elliott, speaking at an event organised by The Jockey Club, believes she can put her chequered record behind her.
“You’d love to be going there with a her having a better record around Cheltenham, but I think the first year the mare didn’t do anything wrong,” Elliott said, as reported by Racing TV. “I think Jack (Kennedy) and Paul (Townend, riding Jade De Grugy) were looking at each other and that good mare called Golden Ace came and nabbed both of them.
“Last year she wasn’t right, after Punchestown we discovered something and we’ve rectified it. I’d put a line through last year – she was beaten after a hurdle.
“We might do something different with her this year and stable her outside Cheltenham.”
Stayers’ Hurdle duo certain, but Romeo in the air
2024 Stayers’ Hurdle winner Teahupoo will bid to regain his crown this season. That was never up for debate, but he will be joined in the contest by younger stablemate Honesty Policy.
“Teahupoo probably sets the standard and for me Honesty Policy is the young gun coming behind them. They’re two nice horses, but Teahupoo has the form and I wouldn’t swap him.
“I was impressed with Honesty Policy at Ascot. He was the horse to take out of it, he hit the line strong.”
For Romeo Coolio, it is the target which is uncertain at Cheltenham. The unbeaten novice chaser has won Grade 1s over 2m, but the Arkle is not guaranteed to be his race. Entries have been retained for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and Ryanair Chase.
“We’re going to keep everything up in the air for the moment. We have the Arkle and the Brown Advisory,” Elliott said.
“I don’t think three miles will be a problem at all, just whether it’s the right thing to do at this stage of his career or not I’m not sure.”
One last horse whose target will only be determined late is Ballyfad. The Gigginstown-owned novice was a short-head second in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival, though both the Supreme and Turners Novices’ Hurdles, remain options for him.
Elliott appears to be leaning towards the latter: “I haven’t spoken to Michael and Eddie (O’Leary) about Ballyfad yet, but my own feeling is the further he goes the better he’s going to be.”