When Charlie Deutsch whipped off his fifteenth pair of glasses en route to Betfair Chase glory aboard Venetia Williams’ Royale Pagaille, it’s hard to believe that it was good ground at Haydock just a few days ago.

As it so often does, The weather closed in on the Merseyside track, conditions changed to ‘Soft, Good to Soft’ in places with the first, ‘Soft’ after the opener and then ‘Mudbath’ as ​​five of the original 15 contenders completed a grueling Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, the race that preceded Betfair.

This was Royale Pagaille conditions, this was Venezia time, and while the horse himself deserves great credit for showing fighting qualities and raw power in abundance, the training performance deserves a special mention.

Here’s a horse who turns 11 in six weeks, one coming off a 10-month layoff with a fractured shoulder, but he was ready to take on the smart young thing in the British staying chase division and took his Haydock record to five from six.

Gray Dawning enhanced his reputation in defeat, his mistake in the final race-defining incident. Had he had wings he would probably have won – he switched to 1/16 in-running on Betfair – and the way he entered the contest to lay down his challenge marks him as a big player in this league.

Understandably, the result had little effect on Cheltenham Gold Cup betting. You wouldn’t back Royale Pagaille for a Gold Cup unless Cheltenham was swallowed up and the race moved to Haydock, while Gray Dawning’s second place left him largely unchanged at around 16/1.

He remains the only Brit in a sea of ​​Irish horse talent at the top and middle of the Gold Cup market and that looks about right until he or something else proves otherwise. But the Skeltons at least have a horse to go to war with against Irish cream.

More Gold Cup horses are out on Sunday in the John Durkan, including reigning champion and two-time winner Galopin Des Champs, but win, lose or draw it seems unlikely too much will change in the Cheltenham market.

Although all eyes have been on the Gold Cup contingent, it’s actually the Champion Hurdle team that have generated more discussion this week, whether they were running or not.

A breast bruise is the latest ailment for Constitution Hill, while a stone bruise for Lossiemouth kept her out of the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle. With both at home in their boxes, Nicky Henderson’s horse is now 5/1 with Coral and Ladbrokes for the Champion Hurdle, while Lossiemouth is favorite across the board and as short as 15/8.

But out on the track, another mare threw her hat into the Champion Hurdle ring with Brighterdaysahead fighting back to see off reigning champion State Man in a thrilling renewal by Morgiana.

It was always going to be interesting to see how Jack Kennedy approached this tactically on the tight inside track at Punchestown, the 2m 148 yards trip that was hardly in her favor against a well-known two-miler like States Man.

He took the bull by the horns and capitalized on Brighterdaysahead’s stamina with an aggressive ride from the front, her tendency to jump left and clap through some of her hurdles didn’t stop her, although she looked cooked as State Man took the lead before the last.

A dull gallop didn’t help his speed, allowing Brighterdaysahead to beat back his inside and record a three-quarter length judgement.

Bookies go 4/1 State Man for the Champion Hurdle and some are going for the same price on Brighterdaysahead – although she is generally 6/1 and as big as 7s in one place and it’s nice to see a new face in the Champion Hurdle – the challengers.

If she can win one, I’m skeptical. This could be her day over hurdles, a day where she had race fitness on her side against a horse just starting for the campaign.

Her hurdling technique does not yet look smart enough to mount a serious challenge for Cheltenham and of course the lure of the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival may prove too strong. It is probably the race for her over 2m4f and it will surprise no one that she is 5/2 (at best) favorite for that contest.

But she announced herself in the Morgiana, and whatever happens over hurdles this season, she is the brightest of prospects for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown as she builds experience before switching to fences.

With all this in mind – Mares’ option for the Morgiana winner, State Man’s defeat, the Constitution Hill saga – you can see why Lossiemouth have found themselves Champion Hurdle favourites.

And when her owner Rich Ricci celebrated his 100th Grade 1 winner with Royale Pagaille at a damp and soggy Haydock, no one would blame him for thinking of brighter days ahead.

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