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Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy have enjoyed a fantastic campaign in Ireland so far this season, and the Cullentra House yard looks poised to head into the Cheltenham Festival in cracking form. For punters looking to bet on Cheltenham, the opening day presents a fascinating narrative, with Elliott and Kennedy holding live chances in all three of Champion Day’s Grade 1 contests: the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Arkle Challenge Trophy and the Champion Hurdle itself.
Landing a Festival treble on day one would be an extraordinary feat, but with genuine contenders across the card, it’s not entirely fanciful. Here’s a closer look at their three big hopes and whether a Champion Day hat-trick could really be on the cards.
El Cairos bypassed the Dublin Racing Festival, with connections instead opting for a confidence-boosting Maiden Hurdle at Thurles. Given his heavy fall at Leopardstown over Christmas when looking set to win, that decision was understandable. However, taking the supposedly easier route meant the six-year-old needed to be foot-perfect to justify his position near the head of the market.
That didn’t quite happen. A notable error at the final hurdle nearly proved costly once again, and while Kennedy was quick to shoulder the blame, suggesting he had confused the horse, it wasn’t a performance that screamed “Supreme winner”. Now a 6/1 third favourite, El Cairos arguably lacks the depth of form of Old Park Star, who looks to boast the strongest overall profile.
Still, Cheltenham has a habit of rewarding raw ability over polish, and El Cairos clearly has engine. While he may not look the most convincing Supreme candidate on paper, ruling him out entirely of giving Elliott his first winner in the race since 2017 would be dangerous.
If Elliott is to get on the board early on Champion Day, Romeo Coolio may well be his strongest chance. Also owned by KTDA Racing, the seven-year-old has taken to fences seamlessly, winning all four of his starts over the larger obstacles.
His victory in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival marked a third consecutive Grade 1 success, and he brings solid, battle-tested form into a division that still has a few unanswered questions. British hope Lulamba is respected, while Willie Mullins’ Kopek Des Bordes is undeniably talented but lightly raced this season after a series of setbacks.
There are some who believe Romeo Coolio may ultimately be better over further, perhaps in a race like the Brown Advisory, but connections are committed to the two-mile route for now. On what he’s shown so far, Elliott looks to have a genuine chance of landing his first Arkle with a horse who does very little wrong.
The Champion Hurdle remains the glaring omission on Gordon Elliott’s Cheltenham CV, but Brighterdaysahead could finally be the mare to put that right. She went into last year’s renewal with high expectations, only to run no race at all and finish a disappointing fourth in what turned into a strange contest.
That effort now has a significant asterisk next to it. Brighterdaysahead was reportedly suffering from a knee issue on the day, and her performance since has been nothing short of outstanding. Her demolition of Lossiemouth in the Irish Champion Hurdle was a statement victory, confirming she returns to Cheltenham in the form of her life. Ante-post favourite The New Lion is clearly talented, but it’s fair to say we may not yet have seen the very best of him. Brighterdaysahead, meanwhile, brings proven Grade 1 form and the benefit of the mares’ allowance—an edge that could prove decisive in a championship race that often comes down to fine margins.
Winning all three Grade 1s on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival would be a monumental achievement, and Elliott and Kennedy will need plenty to go their way. El Cairos looks the most vulnerable of the trio, but Romeo Coolio and Brighterdaysahead both arrive with rock-solid credentials and legitimate winning chances.
A Champion Day clean sweep may be ambitious, but with this trainer-jockey partnership firing and confidence flowing from Ireland, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. At the very least, Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy look set to play a defining role in how the opening day unfolds.
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