Star four-year-old filly Lossiemouth put her rivals and stablemates to the sword with a commanding performance in the Triumph Hurdle for Paul Townend and Willie Mullins.
She was sent off the 11/8 favorite and ran free throughout, but was able to hit the front turning towards home plate and was not around to catch, putting more than two lengths between herself and her stablemate. gala marceau – ridden by Danny Mullins – on the line.
Zenta he was a neck back, again for Mullins, in the colors of JP McManus, with Gust of wind again in fourth for the Closutton master.
Lossiemouth jumps to Triumph Hurdle victory at the Cheltenham Festival
It was sweet revenge for Lossiemouth, who endured a lot of racing trouble going to Gala Marceau at the Dublin Racing Festival, losing his unbeaten record in the process.
The first British home-trained runner was jipcott all the way back in 11 for Ben Pauling and Luca Morgan, but the disappointment of the race was blood destinysent off second favorite by Willie Mullins and ridden by his son, Patrick.
He looked to travel well into the race alongside Lossiemouth but was unable to accelerate out of the turn and could only finish ninth on the line.
The win gives Mullins and Townend a third Triumph win in the last four years, having nailed the odds last year with Vauban and winning in 2020 with Burning Victory.
After the race, winning jockey Paul Townend told ITV: “He was spinning his head a bit, just taking a look around, which wasn’t ideal.”
“I didn’t question her stamina, so I wanted to keep her at an even canter.
“I think she is very good and very professional. Luckily we were able to make up for the mishap at the Dublin Racing Festival.”
Added Mullins: “She traveled on the run perhaps by the five furlong marker and instead of fighting her, Paul just let her gallop off and held on to her as long as he could for as long as he could.”
Blood Destiny and Paul Townend win the Race Displays Hurdle at Fairyhouse
“He thought she was actually idling on the straight and thinks there’s a little more to the tank – she looks like a star mare.”
“If it wasn’t for the traffic problems at Leopardstown, she would be unbeaten for us. I’m very happy with the way everyone ran, except for Blood Destiny (finishing ninth), who was disappointing. I don’t know what happened to him, but everyone else ran his race.
“It’s a good start to the day.”
