With the Cheltenham Pageant upon us, Matt Chapman sat down with Paddy Brennan to disclose their greatest bets for day one.
Within the episode of Unbridled, the duo paid explicit consideration to the Unibet Champion Hurdle, which sees Lossiemouth face fellow Irish mare Brighterdaysahead and final yr’s Turners winner The New Lion in what seems a blockbuster conflict.
Final yr’s winner Golden Ace can also be within the combine, alongside the shock 2025 Triumph Hurdle winner Poniros.
Matt Chapman…
“When I was going through all of my selections I got to this race and did something that I said all along I thought I’d never do – I ended up tipping Brighterdaysahead. The reason I changed my mind is she’s, by 1lb, officially the best horse in the race with a mark of 160. She gets 7lbs from The New Lion, who is rated 159.
“She’s acquired 8lbs in hand on her greatest kind on The New Lion. They are saying she will’t race at Cheltenham however she completed second to Golden Ace in a Mares’ Hurdle once they say she wasn’t proper. Simply to say she will’t race at Cheltenham, off the again of 1 dangerous run and OK run, appeared to me that we have all been a bit harsh.
“Gordon Elliott thinks she’s a monster and if there are decent reasons for everything that’s gone before, I don’t think the evidence is strong enough that she hates Cheltenham. That statement is overegged.”
Paddy Brennan…
“Hear, Matt, it is an opinion – I see Brighterdaysahead goes to be stabled at OIly Murphy’s yard. Clearly they’re making an attempt one thing totally different, however if you happen to’re in search of cheekpieces for Lossiemouth and a secure in Olly Murphy’s for Brighterdaysahead … they are not positives.
“She’s seen Golden Ace’s backside twice in the Mares’ Hurdle and Champion Hurdle, and I think it will be the same again today. I’m not going to leave my original pick of Golden Ace. I thought it was a good decision not to run at Wincanton, I don’t think she’ll be far away and has a massive chance.”
Watch the episode in full on the At The Races YouTube channel…
