As the summer turns to spring, the flat season is preparing to make way for the National Hunt campaign once again. Ireland have dominated the top jumps racing events in recent years, and the 2024-24 season looks set to be the same, with Irish-trained runners dominating the ante-post markets in the horse race betting online.
While Willie Mullins has been the main driving force behind Ireland’s success at the likes of the prestigious Cheltenham Festival and the iconic Grand National meeting at Aintree, his rival Gordon Elliott is another big name worth following in the jumps racing sphere.
The 46-year-old enjoyed three Cheltenham winners last year, including Teahupoo’s triumph in the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle, and he will be out for more big race wins this season. That said, here we take a look at four horses to watch from Elliott’s famous Cullentra stables.
Brighterdaysahead
A very exciting juvenile for Elliott, Brighterdayahead’s only career defeat came in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle—when she was stunned by Golden Ace despite going off as the odds-on favourite for the two-mile and one-furlong contest.
The five-year-old bounced back from that loss emphatically with a maiden Grade 1 success at Aintree, winning the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle by over seven lengths from her stablemate Staffordshire Knot.
Brighterdaysahead is set to go over the larger obstacles this season and is the ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham Festival’s Mares’ Chase.
Gerri Colombe
Gerri Colombe has been one of Cullentra’s stable stars in recent years, and Elliott has already confirmed his plans for the eight-year-old ahead of the new season.
A consistent performer at the top level, the Robcour-owned horse is set to return to Down Royal for the defence of his Champion Chase crown on his seasonal reappearance in November, where a victory would see him become the most successful trainer in the race.
The ultimate goal, however, will be the Gold Cup. Gerri Colombe was second to Galopin Des Champs last year, and Elliott believes his chaser has gotten stronger over the summer after ending the season with a victory in the Bowl at Aintree.
Firefox
Firefox started last season impressively with a bumper victory at Down Royal before beating Ballyburn by over two lengths in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in December.
The bay gelding was fourth of seven in a Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Naas next time out but recorded respectable place finishes in top-level races at Cheltenham, Aintree, and Punchestown to end the season.
Firefox looks set to go chasing in the upcoming jumps racing season and he could be more of a threat over the bigger obstacles. At the time of writing, he’s the second favourite in the ante-post betting for the Arkle.
Teahupoo
A horse we’ve already briefly mentioned, Teahupoo enjoyed an unbeaten season last year — winning three Grade 1s for Elliott.
Also owned by Robcour, the seven-year-old reappeared for the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December, beating Impaire Et Passe by a length, before going on to claim the Stayers’ Hurdle and the Champion Stayers Hurdle in the spring.
Teahupoo is currently priced at 5/2 to defend his Stayers’ Hurdle crown in March, which seems likely to shorten if he can reappear with a win this season.
