Lossiemouth lands Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse

Lossiemouth lands Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse

Posted by Admin December 1, 2024 Horse Racing

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Lossiemouth lived up to the hype with a stylish success in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, readily brushing aside dual winner Teahupoo.

The Willie Mullins-trained Mares’ Hurdle winner was making her seasonal debut at a time when not all from the yard have been firing on all cylinders but, following strong market support which saw Paul Townend’s mount sent off the 4/7 favourite, she delivered in no uncertain terms.

A fairly significant mistake in the back straight might have knocked the confidence of lesser horses but Lossiemouth was soon back in her groove at the rear of the four-runner field.

Sam Ewing kicked for home on Gordon Elliott’s top-class stayer Teahupoo (13/8) with two hurdles to go but Townend tracked his every move and delivered the strong-travelling Lossiemouth at the last to win going away by three and three-quarter lengths.

Rich and Susannah Ricci’s star mare was subsequently cut to 6/4 favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, a race the same connections famously landed with Annie Power in 2016.

Mullins told sportinglife.com: “Lossiemouth was impressive but I think the easy gallop showed her in a good light as she was able to use her speed and it became a tactical race.

“We knew it would be beforehand but I actually think the tactics worked in our favour. Bar that mistake at the fourth-last, when Paul didn’t want to get into the race and she did want to get into it, she was good.

“She went back to sleep (after the jumping error) and then Paul woke her up between the last two, got the last on a perfect stride and went and put the race to bed.

“We could look at Christmas but it could be a bit soon. We’ll see, there’s a race at Ascot, there’s a race at Leopardstown and then one in the New Year at Cheltenham that she won last year. We’ll look at the conditions of the races, look at the time and how she recovers from that race today.

“She’s doing everything right now and she’s on course fingers crossed for the Champion Hurdle. That will be the aim this year if everything went right and so far, so good.”

When asked if he would keep reigning champion hurdler State Man and the winner separate, Mullins added: “I imagine we’ll try to keep them apart.

“There is no point us knocking our heads against one another. We can do that later on in the season and we’ll find out more about what’s in England. State Man will probably go to Leopardstown at Christmas.”