'Unbelievable' first Cheltenham Festival winner for Bective Stud as Better Days Ahead strikes in Martin Pipe

The final race of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival went to Gordon Elliott and Danny Gilligan as Better Days Ahead stayed on best to land the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

It was a first festival success for Noel and Valerie Moran's Bective Stud, who sponsor Elliott's yard, as their six-year-old stayed on dourly for pressure to mow down the well-supported 100-30 favourite Waterford Whispers after the final hurdle. He returned a 5-1 starting price.

"They're one of my biggest supporters," Elliott said. "I'm very good friends with them. To have their first Cheltenham winner is just unbelievable. They put so much into the game. I've been trying to get them a Cheltenham winner and we've been hitting the crossbar, but they're really going to enjoy this."

Better Days Ahead made the most of his previous festival experience having finished 16th in the Champion Bumper last year, and he had finished behind the Supreme first and fourth Slade Steel and Asian Master the last two times. 

Better Days Ahead lands the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle under Danny GilliganCredit: John Grossick

The race has been won by the subsequent dual Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs, Banbridge and Iroko in the last three years and, like that trio, Better Days Ahead looks set for an exciting career over fences.

"He's a big chaser," Elliott said. "We minded him for this race. He had a good run in Navan a few months ago and we said we'd come straight here for this. I've had three winners and 17 or 18 placed horses at this year's festival, so I can't complain." 

Although it was a third success of the meeting for Elliott, from one of his seven runners in the race, after the wins of Teahupoo and Stellar Story, it was a first festival victory for Gilligan. 

The rider has become an important member of Elliott's operation as he has already taken three Graded races for the Cullentra team on Ash Tree Meadow, Coko Beach and Kala Conti.

After Waterford Whispers held on to second, well-fancied rivals filled the remaining places with 4-1 shot Quai De Bourbon and 10-1 chance Answer To Kayf rounding off the top four. Last year's runner-up No Ordinary Joe was the first British-trained horse home in seventh.

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