Would you go for the Champion Hurdle or Mares' Hurdle with Lossiemouth? Three of our experts have their say

'If you're good enough, you're old enough'

If I were Rich Ricci, the only thing I’d want to know on whether Lossiemouth goes for the Champion Hurdle is if Paul Townend could ride her. If he chose to do so, it’d be a no-brainer if I was the owner.

She’s no nailed-on certainty for the Mares’ anyway. She’d be stepping up in trip and we don’t yet know if that would suit her, unlike stablemate Gala Marceau (don’t write her off yet) who has already pretty much proven her stamina for 2m4f.

The form and time of Lossiemouth’s win on Saturday was nothing special, it was more the visual impression. She’s obviously hugely progressive, and don’t worry that she’s a five-year-old – if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
James Hill, tipster

'We must see the best take on the best'

We love to brag that the Cheltenham Festival is the championship of jump racing, but we can only do that if Lossiemouth goes for the Champion Hurdle.

The four-to-five-year-old season is always a challenge, but Katchit and Espoir D'Allen did it and based on her stunning Triumph and Unibet Hurdle wins, she's a serious top-level prospect.

Of course, they didn't have the might of Constitution Hill to face, but his preparation has been far from straightforward and as the old saying goes, horses aren't machines. If you're not in it, you can't win it, and we must see the best take on the best.

Lossiemouth: won the Triumph Hurdle last seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

Should she go down the Mares' Hurdle route, it just adds more fuel to the fire about the dilution of quality at the Cheltenham Festival. We never got the thrilling clash between Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle, but a more unexposed Lossiemouth going up against him would be just as exciting.

Her connections were brilliantly brave in pitching Annie Power into the Champion Hurdle in 2016. I plead with them to give us a fascinating Champion Hurdle we desperately need.
Matt Rennie, reporter

'Her best RPR has not been good enough to place in the last ten Champion Hurdles'

All available evidence suggests Lossiemouth has a limited chance of toppling Constitution Hill in the Champion, so it is hard to argue against owner Rich Ricci's intention to go for the easier Mares' Hurdle.

Lossiemouth could improve considerably but Saturday's Unibet Hurdle win saw her post her best Racing Post Rating of 155, a figure good enough to win eight of the last ten Mares' Hurdles (Honeysuckle won the other two with an RPR of 157). By contrast, an RPR of 155 has not been good enough to place in a single Champion Hurdle in the last decade.

We would all love a deep Champion Hurdle to add spice to the division, but the reality is there is an extremely limited pool of horses who are capable of operating at that level at the moment. Forcing the likes of Lossiemouth into the Champion may add each-way places, but would it really offer extra excitement and intrigue? 

Although Lossiemouth's comeback win was a clear step forward on ratings, I'd also suggest the form has a questionable look about it. Love Envoi is a talented mare but couldn't cope with veteran Not So Sleepy over this trip in the Fighting Fifth, First Street is a smart handicapper, Rubaud was unproven on undulating tracks and Guard Your Dreams had been off for the best part of two years.
Matt Butler, deputy news editor

Close Brothers Mares Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 12)
Betfair Sportsbook: 4-5 Lossiemouth, 4 Ashroe Diamond, 7 Gala Marceau, 12 Marie's Rock, 14 Echoes In Rain, Jetara, Love Envoi, West Balboa, 16 bar.

Read more . . .

'Not even odds-on shots are guaranteed to win' - Love Envoi primed for festival rematch with Lossiemouth

Another View: Mares' Hurdle the right call for Lossiemouth as Willie Mullins' young star continues her development

It's the Mares' for Lossiemouth as Rich Ricci confirms no clash with 'monster' Constitution Hill despite impressive win

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