Cheltenham Festival: Lossiemouth oozes class in Triumph Hurdle for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins | Racing News
Star four-year-old filly Lossiemouth put her rivals and stablemates to the sword with a dominant performance in the Triumph Hurdle for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.
She was sent off the 11/8 favourite and raced freely throughout but was able to hit the front turning for home and wasn’t for catching, putting over two lengths between her and stablemate Gala Marceau – ridden by Danny Mullins – at the line.
Zenta was a further neck behind, again for Mullins, in the JP McManus colours, with Gust Of Wind back in fourth again for the Closutton maestro.
Lossiemouth jumps to Triumph Hurdle victory at the Cheltenham Festival
It was sweet revenge for Lossiemouth who endured plenty of trouble in running when going down to Gala Marceau at the Dublin Racing Festival, losing her unbeaten record in the process.
The first British-trained runner home was Jipcot all the way back in 11th for Ben Pauling and Luca Morgan, but the disappointment of the race was Blood Destiny, sent off second favourite by Willie Mullins and ridden by son, Patrick.
He looked to travel well into the race alongside Lossiemouth but couldn’t quicken around the turn and could only finish ninth at the line.
The win gives Mullins and Townend a third Triumph win in the last four years, having landed the odds last year with Vauban and winning in 2020 with Burning Victory.
After the race, winning jockey Paul Townend told ITV: “She was throwing her head about a fair bit, just having a look around, which wasn’t ideal.
“I didn’t question her stamina so I wanted to keep her on an even gallop.
“I think she’s very good and very professional. Thankfully we were able to make up for the mishap at the Dublin Racing Festival.”
Mullins added: “She travelled into the race at maybe the five-furlong marker and rather than fighting her Paul just let her gallop and held onto her as much as he could for a long as he could.
Blood Destiny and Paul Townend win the Race Displays Hurdle at Fairyhouse
“He thought she was actually idling come up the straight and thinks there is a little bit more in the tank – she looks a star mare.
“But for the traffic problems in Leopardstown she’d be unbeaten for us. I’m very happy with how they all ran, bar Blood Destiny (finished ninth) who was disappointing. I don’t know what happened to him, but all the rest ran their race.
“It’s a nice start to the day.”
