'He's a strong stayer with a great attitude' - who will follow in the footsteps of Galopin Des Champs and Minella Indo?

This Grade 1 is a proven stepping stone to stardom. The recent roll of honour includes Minella Indo and Galopin Des Champs, who have won three Cheltenham Gold Cups between them, while last year's winner Gaelic Warrior was awesome in winning this year's Arkle and is already ante-post favourite for the King George.

The Nice Guy (2022) and Minella Indo (2019) both followed up their Albert Bartlett wins by landing this and Stellar Story is the latest to try to complete that spring festival double.

A brother of The Storyteller, Stellar Story wasn't even supposed to be boarding the boat to Holyhead with the rest of the Cheltenham team from the Gordon Elliott stable. It was only a late setback to Croke Park which got him a late call-up.

It's funny how things work out as Stellar Story chased down The Jukebox Man in the final stride for a shock 33-1 success. There didn't appear to be any fluke about it as he tracked the leader throughout and showed a willing attitude to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He's straightforward, tough and never knows when he's beaten. Those characteristics count for a lot.

Nothing apart from the first two home ever got into the Albert Bartlett. It was one of those races where the peloton never closed on the pacesetters.

Stellar Story (left) beats The Jukebox Man in the Albert Bartlett Novices' HurdleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dancing City plodded on into third, but he looked a different proposition altogether at Aintree when running away with the Sefton Novices' Hurdle. The further he went, the better he looked there. He's progressive.

Willie Mullins has won the last three runnings of this Grade 1, and six since 2015, and the master trainer is also represented by High Class Hero and Lecky Watson, as well as outsider Cuta Des As.

High Class Hero did too much in the early stages, refusing to settle under Patrick Mullins, but you just wonder whether some of his early-season form is being found out.

Lecky Watson is far more interesting. He was one of the very few who threatened to land a blow in the Albert Bartlett from off the pace, eventually finishing eight lengths back in fifth. His half-a-length defeat to Slade Steel in a Grade 2 at Navan earlier in the season is one serious piece of form given he had two Cheltenham Festival winners behind him.

Stellar Story was third, while Better Days Ahead finished fourth and won a red-hot Martin Pipe which is already working out well.

Elliott has strong hand with Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead

Champagne Classic made the smooth transition from winning a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival to winning this Grade 1 for Gordon Elliott, and seven years on Better Days Ahead bids to follow in those identical footsteps.

He stayed on powerfully to win the Martin Pipe under Danny Gilligan, who keeps the ride, while Jack Kennedy is on Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story, who is reported to have thrived since Cheltenham.

Better Days Ahead: winner of the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: John Grossick

Elliott said: "They are two good young stayers who hopefully have bright futures ahead of themselves over fences. The plan has always been Punchestown for both of them since Cheltenham.

"Stellar Story wasn't supposed to go to Cheltenham originally, we were going to keep him for Aintree, but then Croke Park got a setback. It's funny how things work out. He's a horse we have always thought a lot of, a strong stayer with a great attitude. He looks to have rock-solid claims.

"I know Better Days Ahead is coming from a handicap, but he's a horse I've always held in high regard and I wouldn't write him off here either. He shouldn't have any problem with the longer trip."

What they say 

Rachael Blackmore, rider of An Tobar
He's stepping up in trip here, so hopefully that will be a help to him. I thought when he won his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in November that he was going to have a big season ahead, but he hasn’t got to where I thought he would get to. He’s going to have to improve on what we've seen so far if he's going to be competitive here. But he's a horse who I know has ability, so hopefully the step up in trip will be a help to him.

Emmet Mullins, trainer of Backmersackme
It's another adventurous one, but he's a nice horse and we'll learn a lot more about him here.

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