GORDON Elliott’s stable traditionally get their big guns going for the new season at the Down Royal meeting and it was no different on Friday.

The stable’s exciting mare Brighterdaysahead (4/5 favourite) made a winning seasonal debut in the Grade 3 Bottlegreen Hurdle over an extended two miles. Sam Ewing gave her a positive ride over this distance and although her jumping was a bit slow at times, she did it well.

The Gigginsown House Stud-owned mare wasn’t too clever over the last and stable companion King Of Kingsfield looked a brief threat but she saw him off without too much difficulty by three and three quarter lengths.

Gordon Elliott said: “We didn’t want it turning into a sprint - we kind of thought Paul (Townend on Daddy Long Legs) might try and stack them up in front.

“I said ‘look, go out and go a good gallop the whole way’. He (Ewing) said it wasn’t ideal because she was looking at the whole way in front of her. He said she had a good blow and she will come on plenty from it.

“If she had winged the last two, she would have won a couple of lengths. She is never going to win more than what she is going to, but great to win.

“It (Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown) is only three weeks away, so it might be a bit soon. She could go two, or two and a half.

“To be honest, she is good and it wouldn’t shock me if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle this mare. I think she is very good and with a fast gallop she will be better.”

When asked if the runner-up will go chasing, he replied: “Yes, definitely. The plan was to go chasing and he missed a little bit of time, so we said we would give him a run around here and see.”

Clay off the mark

Elliott and Ewing kicked off the day in winning style when last season’s promising bumper performer The Yellow Clay (4/11 favourite) opened a double for Bective Stud in justifying favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle over two miles, six and a half furlongs.

In the front rank, Ewing sent him about his business coming down the hill to the straight. He was clear over the second last and maintained his advantage in comfortable fashion.

Gordon Elliott said: “He (Ewing) said he never came out of a hack. He’s a nice horse and I’d say you could bring him back in trip. I’d say anything from two to two and a half miles is what he really wants. I thought he jumped well in all, in fairness.

“We could look at Navan (Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle on November 17th) - Noel and Valerie Moran (Bective Stud) are from Navan, so they will be keen to have runners there. We definitely could be looking at that.”

THE second Grade 3 on the card, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle, went to the John Dempsey-trained Sansrisk (7/2) coming home three and a half lengths clear under Donagh Meyler from Royal Hollow.

The David L’Estrange-owned mare took closer order from three out and soon improved to dispute the lead.

While she made a mistake at the next, and was ridden, she gained a narrow lead approaching the final flight before stretching clear on the run-in.

Philip Dempsey said: “We are thrilled with that. She hit the second last a good clout and the way she came back from it to win. We always thought a good bit of her.

“All her runs are good and she was probably unlucky not to have won a bumper earlier.

“Yes, I’d say that would probably be the plan (put her away for the spring) because she definitely doesn’t want heavy ground. We won’t abuse her, certainly not.

“We might dream of Cheltenham and see maybe a run somewhere like Navan.”

Took the honours

There was a northern success in the Lough Construction Ltd. Handicap Hurdle over three miles as Paddy’s Milestone (4/1) took the honours for Stuart Crawford under amateur rider Stephen Connor

The son of Malinas, oned by the Landmark Syndicate, was settled in mid-division on the inner before taking closer order with a circuit to race.

There were still four of five with chances on the final bend but Paddy’s Milestone had taken a length lead before the last and stayed on well for a length and a quarter success from Schiehallion.

Stuart Crawford said: “Delighted! He was probably very unlucky here when J.J. (Slevin) rode him back on St Patrick’s Day.

“He went to Punchestown after that and just didn’t really get any luck in-running in a big-field handicap. He has freshened up well and has strengthened up great over the summer. Stephen gave him what I thought was a really, really good ride there. I’d say the step up in trip suited him, definitely on that better ground it did. He went the shortest way and got a few gaps here and there when he needed them. He won it nicely in the end.

“It is a local syndicate and to win here means the world to them. If there is something back here on Boxing Day, we would probably like to target that. We’ll go wherever.”

In with a chance

Seven ran in the WTW Insurance Brokers Handicap Chase over the extended two miles, and six were in with a chance three out. Someone’s Wish landed over the last marginally in front of If You Let Me and it looked between them on the run-in, before Jake Coen got a great run from the Peter Fahey-trained/McParland-owned Tuckmill (9/2) to close on the far side. He got up on the line to win by half a length, with If You Let Me three-quarters of a length back in third.

Coen said: “He travelled around everywhere. To be honest, I thought I was gone at the second last - he was very tough with me when I got stuck into him and found really well.

“That’s as far as he will get. He ran over two and a-half (in Tramore) when Sam Ewing rode him and he thought he might not have got home.

“Today back over two (miles) one (furlong) with blinkers, he travelled and jumped and he was very tough.”

FIREFOX remains at around 6/1 for the Arkle at Cheltenham after his success in the Mongey Communications Beginners Chase over two and a half miles.

Placed in three Grade 1 novice hurdles last season, the Bective Stud-owned six-year-old never put a foot wrong on his chasing debut and he was given a good test by the Henry de Bromhead-trained Mossy Fen Park. The pair matched strides, jumping well over the last mile before Firefox moved ahead. Jumping the last well, he did not come under any pressure to maintain his advantage to the line. It brought up a first treble for Sam Ewing.

Gordon Elliott said: “I think he’s good, he’s a real two-miler and we are happy with him. I could see him coming back in trip.

“He probably learned more today than any novice chase. Sam said he just gave him a squeeze coming down the hill and he picked up.

“He said he had a good blow after the last. He was very good and he always jumped a hurdle like he wanted (a fence).”

When asked about the Drinmore over the same distance at Fairyhouse, Elliott replied: “He’ll be entered for it anyway, but hopefully we will have something else for that.”

Four-timer

The Elliott stable completed a four-timer when Jacob’s Ladder and Harry Swan took the Ladbrokes INH Flat Race over two miles and a furlong, completing a double on the day for the Gigginstown House Stud colours.

The five-year-old Mount Nelson gelding had four lengths to spare over Jerry From Kerry. Gordon Elliott said: “He’s not really a bumper horse, he’ll go jumping hurdles. I’m glad to see him doing that because I think we have a lot of nice horses at home.”