Better Days Ahead (2018) Horse
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About
Better Days Ahead is an 8yo gelding trained by G Elliott. It is by Milan out of Bonnie And Bright and has secured six wins so far. On 16 March 2024 at Cheltenham it earned its most important victory, taking the $73,777.00 Cl2 Hcph. The horse has proven profitable for bettors; backing it throughout its career would have delivered a 35% return on investment.
Race Record
| Event Summary | Runner Stats | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Navan 09-Feb-26 4389m HEAVY R3 CL1 H $9,000 (of $45,001), SP: 4.33 1st Staffordshire Knot ( J Kennedy 157 ) 2nd Better Days Ahead ( D Gilligan 157 ) 2.50L 3rd Maxxum ( J Gainford 162 ) 4.25L See full results | D Gilligan 71.2kg 2.50L | 2 (6) |
| Fairyhouse 21-Apr-25 5870m HEAVY R6 CL1 HcpChNHF $9,999 (of $482,499), SP: 17.00 1st Haiti Couleurs ( S Bowen 153 ) 2nd Any Second Now ( M P Walsh 151 ) 3.25L 3rd Quai De Bourbon ( P Townend 160 ) 9.75L 6th Better Days Ahead ( R James 166 , Cd 173 ) 27.25L See full results | R James 75.3kg, Cd 78.5kg 27.25L | 6 (30) |
| Cheltenham 13-Mar-25 4930m SOFT R2 CL1 NvCh $21,220 (of $196,740), Winning Time: 10:28.960, SP: 7.50 Prominent, ridden after 2 out, no impression on winner and narrowly lost 2nd flat, kept on 1st Lecky Watson ( S O'keeffe 161 ) 2nd Stellar Story ( D Gilligan 161 ) 4.00L 3rd Better Days Ahead ( J Kennedy 161 ) 4.20L See full results | J Kennedy 73kg 4.20L | 3 (7) |
| Navan 10-Feb-25 4790m HEAVY R5 CL1 NvCh $22,500 (of $37,501), Winning Time: 10:47.000, SP: 1.50 Tracked leader in 2nd, improved to lead 4 out, ridden after 2 out, reduced advantage and strongly pressed inside final furlong, stayed on well close home 1st Better Days Ahead ( S Ewing 157 ) 2nd Stellar Story ( D Gilligan 162 ) 0.30L 3rd Three Card Brag ( J Gainford 157 ) 4.75L See full results | S Ewing 71.2kg | 1 (5) |
| Leopardstown 26-Dec-24 4920m SOFT R5 CL1 NvCh $20,000 (of $100,000), Winning Time: 06:14.040, SP: 1.91 Tracked leaders, 3rd after 4 out, 2nd and ridden after 2 out, no impression on winner last, kept on well closing stages, just failed 1st Croke Park ( S Ewing 164 ) 2nd Better Days Ahead ( D Gilligan 164 ) 0.20L 3rd Buddy One ( J Gilligan 164 ) 19.00L See full results | D Gilligan 74.4kg 0.20L | 2 (4) |
| Navan 17-Nov-24 4160m SOFT R7 Ch $9,300 (of $15,500), Winning Time: 08:45.200, SP: 3.00 Led, mistake 4th, pressed entering straight, jumped slightly left 3 out, ridden and jumped left 2 out, asserted before last where jumped left again, kept on well run-in 1st Better Days Ahead ( J Kennedy 166 ) 2nd Slade Steel ( D O'keeffe 166 ) 4.00L 3rd Kinturk Kalanisi ( K Buckley 166 ) 9.00L See full results | J Kennedy 75.3kg | 1 (4) |
| Punchestown 01-May-24 4800m SOFT R4 NvH $12,500 (of $78,913), Winning Time: 06:06.900, SP: 9/2 Tracked leaders, slight mistake 3rd, headway to dispute lead 2 out, pushed along entering straight, ridden and headed before last, 3rd at last, no extra in 3rd inside final furlong 1st Dancing City ( P Townend 164 ) 2nd High Class Hero ( S F O'keeffe 164 ) 0.50L 3rd Better Days Ahead ( D J Gilligan 164 ) 4.75L See full results | D J Gilligan 74.4kg 4.75L | 3 (7) |
| Cheltenham 16-Mar-24 4070m HEAVY R7 CL2 HcpH $39,022 (of $73,777), Winning Time: 05:21.430, SP: 6.00 Held up towards rear, headway from 5th, ridden after 2 out, driven into 2nd last, led flat, stayed on well 1st Better Days Ahead ( D J Gilligan 161 ) 2nd Waterford Whispers ( M P O'connor 154 ) 1.50L 3rd Quai De Bourbon ( M J M O'sullivan 161 ) 0.50L See full results | D J Gilligan 73kg | 1 (21) |
| Navan 20-Jan-24 3220m SOFT R1 NvH $3,300 (of $16,500), Winning Time: 04:19.500, SP: 4.00 Led, pushed along before 2 out, ridden and headed before last, no impression on winner at last, kept on same pace run-in 1st Asian Master ( T Costello 159 ) 2nd Better Days Ahead ( J W Kennedy 167 ) 10.00L 3rd Fiveonefive ( D J Gilligan 158 ) 10.00L See full results | J W Kennedy 75.8kg 10.00L | 2 (5) |
| Navan 09-Dec-23 4020m HEAVY R3 CL1 NvH $1,825 (of $36,501), Winning Time: 05:40.700, SP: 6.00 Tracked leader in 2nd, led 2 out, soon ridden, headed before last, 3rd and slight mistake at last, soon no impression in 4th 1st Slade Steel ( R Blackmore 157 ) 2nd Lecky Watson ( P Townend 157 ) 0.50L 3rd Stellar Story ( J W Kennedy 157 ) 4.50L 4th Better Days Ahead ( J Gainford 157 ) 5.50L See full results | J Gainford 71.2kg 5.50L | 4 (5) |
| Fairyhouse 24-Nov-23 4730m HEAVY R2 MdH $6,300 (of $6,300), Winning Time: 06:34.800, SP: 2/9 Made all, pushed along and went clear from 2 out, stayed on strongly run-in, easily 1st Better Days Ahead ( J W Kennedy 166 ) 2nd Metalor ( R Deegan 158 ) 11.00L 3rd Ca Plane Pour Moi ( B Hayes 158 ) 13.00L See full results | J W Kennedy 75.3kg | 1 (7) |
| Down Royal 10-Nov-23 4530m SOFT R1 MdH (of $13,000), Winning Time: 05:49.900, SP: 1.53 Led early, headed 4th, 3rd halfway, headway travelling easily to regain lead after 4 out, 5 lengths clear with one other when fell 3 out 1st Zefiro Dodville ( J C Gainford 166 ) 2nd The Busy Fool ( J P O'sullivan 166 ) 2.50L 3rd Annaghbeg ( S Connor 166 ) 1.75L UPL Better Days Ahead ( J Kennedy 166 ) 0.00L | J Kennedy 75.3kg 0.00L | UPD (15) |
| Cheltenham 16-Mar-23 3300m SOFT R7 CL1 NHF (of $78,696), Winning Time: 03:59.830, SP: 11.00 Off the pace in rear-division, never a factor, tailed off 1st A Dream To Share ( J L Gleeson 161 ) 2nd Fact To File ( P W Mullins 161 ) 1.25L 3rd Captain Teague ( H Cobden 161 ) 1.25L 16th Better Days Ahead ( J J Codd 161 ) 23.50L See full results | J J Codd 73kg 23.50L | 16 (21) |
| Fairyhouse 04-Dec-22 3220m SOFT R8 NHF $6,000 (of $10,000), Winning Time: 04:31.000, SP: 2.88 Towards rear, 5th halfway, took closer order in 4th over 4f out, travelled well and progress under 2f out, led 1 1/2f out, asserted inside final furlong, kept on well, easily 1st Better Days Ahead ( J J Codd 161 ) 2nd Chapeau De Soleil ( P W Mullins 161 ) 3.25L 3rd Run For Harry ( J Dunne 161 ) 6.00L See full results | J J Codd 73kg | 1 (5) |
| Down Royal 04-Nov-22 3390m SOFT R7 CLNHF $2,400 (of $12,000), Winning Time: 04:20.600, SP: 1.33 Led, joined 6f out, pushed along over 2f out, ridden and headed 1 1/2f out, kept on under pressure final furlong 1st Carnfunnock ( B G Crawford 168 ) 2nd Better Days Ahead ( J J Codd 161 ) 1.25L 3rd Do As Your Told ( A P Ryan 154 ) 0.00L See full results | J J Codd 73kg 1.25L | 2 (3) |
| Lisronagh 27-Feb-22 4830m SOFT Md (of $6,837), SP: 6/1 Mid-div, 5th 1/2way, cl 4th bef 3out, gd prog to ld bef 2out, 4l adv 2out, sn rdn, 5l adv last, cosily 1st Better Days Ahead ( D Mcgill 160 ) 2nd Farnoge ( D O'connor 165 ) 4.00L 3rd Get Up Mush ( L P Gilligan 165 ) 0.50L | D Mcgill 72.6kg | 1 (10) |