Lossiemouth Shines in Trials Day Return

The connections of Lossiemouth are sticking to their process and have set their sights on the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after a dazzling performance in her return to action on Trials day.

Last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner had been kept under wraps since her Grade One victory at the Punchestown Festival, as trainer Willie Mullins took a different approach with his young horses this season. However, she made a stunning comeback by dominating her elders in the Unibet Hurdle.

This impressive win has opened up the possibility for Lossiemouth to compete against top contenders such as Constitution Hill and State Man in the Champion Hurdle. Nevertheless, Plan A remains heading towards the Mares’ Hurdle where she is currently favored at best odds of 4-5.

Mares’ Hurdle Remains the Goal

“The team was pleasantly surprised by how well Lossiemouth performed,” said Joe Chambers, racing manager for owners Rich and Susannah Ricci. “We’ve always had our eyes set on the Mares’ Hurdle and that plan hasn’t changed unless circumstances drastically alter.”

Monkfish Options Open

In other news, Monkfish also showed promise on his return from an extended break in winning the Galmoy Hurdle. The Cheltenham Festival winner has entries for both Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup this year.

Although connections have yet to finalize his race choice, returning to fencing for a shot at the blue riband event is a real possibility. Chambers expressed excitement about Monkfish’s form but emphasized the need to keep him in good shape until March.

Looking Ahead

“Our inclination has always been to go back over fences, but we’ll assess how things unfold and make a decision closer to Cheltenham,” Chambers explained. “If all goes well, we’d love for Monkfish to compete in the Gold Cup, but there are still several weeks ahead of us.”