Better Days Ahead (2018) Horse
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About
Better Days Ahead is an 8yo bay racehorse trained by G Elliott in Meath. He is by Milan out of Bonnie And Bright. To date he has claimed six victories. On 16 Mar 2024 at Cheltenham he earned his biggest prize, collecting $73,777 in the Cl2 Hcph. The horse has been a rewarding choice for bettors, delivering a 27% return on investment for those who backed him throughout his career.
Race Record
| Event Summary | Runner Stats | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Navan 01-Mar-26 4106m HEAVY R6 CL1 Ch $9,000 (of $45,001), SP: 6.00 1st James Du Berlais ( J J Slevin 157 ) 2nd Better Days Ahead ( S Ewing 162 ) 2.25L 3rd Saint Sam ( P Townend 162 ) 15.25L See full results | S Ewing 73.5kg 2.25L | 2 (4) |
| 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 ) 1.75L 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) |