Willie Mullins’ mare Lossiemouth is the new Champion Hurdle favorite after a decisive win in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse, easily defeating previous winner Teahupoo.
The five-year-old is back in action after an unbeaten campaign last term, which included Grade 1 wins at both Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.
She had lost just once in nine starts prior to her freshman Fairyhouse assignment, where she started 4/7 favorite under Paul Townend in a field of four.
She was never in a hurry and looked content to stay in the wake of her rivals for most of the way, with dual race winner Teahupoo taking the lead down the home straight.
Lossiemouth never got into top gear behind him and was easily able to win by three quarters of a length when called on, with Betfair making her the 9/4 to 6/4 favourite. Champion obstacle.
“It’s been very impressive, it’s been very steady and I think it suits us,” Mullins said.
“She’s got that speed. She’s got a nice flat pedigree and when they went steady it was a bar fall or something like that. She made a bad mistake in the fourth last but when it came down to a speed race, I thought she would win anyway.
“Her dam is a half-sister to Lord glitters, who was a great miler for David O’Meara a few years ago. That’s the pedigree she has. She has a lot of power, which always helps when moving at a steady pace. It has some speed.”
Asked if he would continue to separate the champion hurdler Stateman from the winner, Mullins added: “I think we’ll try to keep them separate.
“There’s no need to butt heads with each other. We can do that later in the season and we’ll learn more about England.”
“State Man will probably go to Leopardstown at Christmas. She went in the International Hurdle last year but she may not be suitable so we will have to look at the conditions.”
Croke Park and Sam Ewing won the Drinmore Novice Steeplechase.
Croke Park won a Drinmore thriller.
Croke Park held on resolutely to secure a hard-fought victory in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.
Trainer Gordon Elliott saddled three of the five runners, with Henry de Bromhead taking charge of the remaining two as the small field assembled for the Grade 1 race.
Sam Ewing led the way as an outsider at odds of 22/1 on the winner, with stablemate Firefox the even favourite.
But after almost two and a half miles his resolve was tested and favorite Heart Wood of De Bromhead took on the challenge, with Gorgeous Tom also finishing very quickly.
Croke Park dug deep and held on by just a neck in a four-way finish.
“It was really good. The horse probably won well on average in the novice chase here on the last day. I didn’t know if the form was good enough, but that’s why I’m running him in the race,” Elliott said. .
“Sometimes people tell me I shouldn’t run much, but if I don’t I can’t win and that’s what racing is about. This lad was 22/1.
“Sam gave him a great car. That’s the kind of racing you want to see. There were four or five in the last jump. They were steady, but it was a great race.
“To be honest, I thought Henry would be successful and I thought Sam would come in second.
“If you tell those jockeys to go out and do something, you’re telling them the wrong thing. I just leave it to them.
“The three horses ran a great race, with Firefox winning by a neck and a short length and Shecouldbeanything winning by just a few lengths.
“On any other day, any horse could have won – Mark Walsh was coming up to the line fast.
“Croke Park have been disappointing so far to be honest. He wasn’t cheap, but thankfully we’re happy because he’s now in first grade.”
Tounsivator and Paul Townend won the Royal Bond.
Tounsivator wins Royal Bond
Willie Mullins’ Tounsivator beat four stablemates to finish first in the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.
Under Danny Mullins, he was a 12/1 shot as Elliott’s Romeo Coolio was sent off as a 1/2 favorite in the Grade 2 contest after finishing second in last season’s Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
However, the latter horse was excited by the winner and Tounsivator threw down the challenge in the final two furlongs and drew level with Romeo Coolio over the final flight.
He then followed the favorite and carried out the task gallantly, winning by two and a half lengths with Sea Of Sands third.
“We thought every horse we ran had a chance if they ran their best race,” Willie Mullins said.
“He must have had the physical edge because he played for us over the summer.
“He was a good buy for Temple Bloodstock and I’m very happy for Aubrey McMahon, he was a reasonably priced horse and it’s huge for the syndicate to win a race like that.
“I think Aubrey can be had for cheap, and the Cesarewich winner in the UK also had one.
“I’m very happy with him. Now I get to spend Christmas with him. Maybe the conditions on the pitch today were better for him.”
Natural agility to win
Naturally Nimble is a shock 33/1 favorite at Fairyhouse.
Naturally Nimble caused chaos when he ousted Willy De Houelle from the Juvenile Hurdle with Bar One Racing “prices raised across all channels”.
The latter horse was the 1/4 favorite on his Irish debut for Willie Mullins in Grade 3, while Joseph O’Brien’s Naturally Nimble was given a 33/1 chance on his hurdles debut.
However, his previous flat form was reasonable and his pedigree was interesting as he is a half-brother to the German Group winning sprinter Namos.
Under Richard Deegan he moved to the back of a six strong field and was able to show his feet and secure victory by a length and a half when he was level with the field favorite in the final stages.
“He let us down a little bit last week, so we said let’s take a look around here and find out, and he did a good job,” Deegan said.
“They had a good run and the race probably fell apart a little bit in front of us and we were there to pick up the pieces. He held on well.
“He’s been at a high level on the flats so hopefully we can continue with that. He wants good ground.”
Naturally Nimble now has a 20/1 chance to join Coral in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
