Lossiemouth 'is a Champion Hurdle mare' says Willie Mullins after dominant trainer lands opening day treble

Many wanted the showdown this week, but State Man v Lossiemouth could be on the cards next year after the latter oozed class to record her second successive victory at the Cheltenham Festival in the Mares' Hurdle.

She is trained by Willie Mullins for Rich Ricci's wife Susannah and was well in command in last year's Triumph Hurdle before adding a Punchestown Grade 1 to her increasingly impressive list of accomplishments.

Given Mullins trains brilliant two-mile hurdling gelding State Man, it was perhaps inevitable she would be kept to mares' company this season, but the way she bossed the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham in January – and the fact reigning Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill was ruled out of the race after a late health issue – led some to believe she should be running in Tuesday's feature.

The likelihood of that was slim and, after State Man delivered Champion Hurdle glory under Paul Townend, Mullins was able to relish another festival success.

Sent off an 8-13 chance, the five-year-old travelled strongly, even if Townend later conceded she was further back than he might have liked.

Paul Townend takes in the acclaim of the Cheltenham crowdCredit: Edward Whitaker

It did not matter one bit and she eased clear of Tellmesomethinggirl, a 22-1 chance whose Henry de Bromhead-trained stablemate Hispanic Moon ran a blinder at 40-1 in third.

"I'll chat to Rich, but I imagine she'll be trained for the Champion Hurdle next season," Mullins said after his 97th winner at jump racing's most important week.

"I'm hoping she'll go to Punchestown next but we'll see."

After Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle and State Man, she was a third winner on the day for the all-conquering training goliath, who added: "It's been a very, very satisfying day. It's nice having a big team coming over but they have to win. After the first race [the Supreme], I thought, 'Oh my God' and wondered if it would be a day like we had a few years ago, but I'm very happy and I can enjoy the rest of the week now."

The envy of his peers, Mullins, who has dominated the Mares' Hurdle with ten triumphs, will surely not enjoy the week if Tuesday's honours are what he is limited to, but that prospect is unlikely, and the continued investment of major players such as the Riccis will mean his operation likely remains a formidable one for some time.

"It's great and she's a fine mare – a really fine mare," Rich Ricci purred of Lossiemouth. "The last time she was here, she settled better in the Unibet Hurdle. It's fantastic, unbelievable.

"The Champion Hurdle next year has been 100 per cent the plan – let's see if she's up and able for it, but it is the plan. She's been wonderful to own and she'd be undefeated if she hadn't run into trouble at Leopardstown last season. I'm delighted with her. We've been very lucky with the mares we've had and she's been brilliant."

Lossiemouth and Julie Flory in the winner's enclosure at Cheltenham after the Mares' HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann

Betfair and Paddy Power make the Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill, who might not run again this season, 2-1 for the Champion Hurdle in 2025 with State Man a 3-1 poke and Lossiemouth 6-1.

Ricci added: "I watched the Champion Hurdle today and you can say anything in hindsight. We had a plan and we stuck to it. Hopefully we'll be able to do it next year, but we've won the Mares' Hurdle, which is a Grade 1 and I'm delighted."

Before the race, the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, the French Champion Hurdle, was mooted as a possible destination for Lossiemouth, whose rider will probably not mind riding her anywhere, as long as that does not mean a tricky choice between her and State Man.

"She wasn't more pressure than State Man, but as much anyway," said Townend, now on 31 festival winners. "She was a big bullet today but they're all pressure to be honest.

"She was a fancy of a lot of people, but it doesn't always work out like that. It wasn't plan A and I was a bit further back than I wanted to be, but I was happy, comfortable and the race panned out nicely. I got a nice clear run round and she settled and jumped brilliantly." 

Read these next:

'He deserved his day in the sun' - super State Man holds off plucky Irish Point for commanding Champion Hurdle success 

'We'll stick to two miles after that' - gallant Gaelic Warrior gets his Cheltenham glory with sublime Arkle success 

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