Lossiemouth, the grey mare owned by Rich Ricci, delivered a commanding performance to win the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday, cementing her status as a festival legend. The 7-5 favourite pulled clear to win by six and a half lengths from Brighterdaysahead, with The New Lion a further half-length back in third.
Ricci, visibly emotional after the race, described the victory as a privilege. “It’s a privilege to have a horse like this,” he said. “This game continues to excite me, to entice me and to make me spend stupid money.” The win was a bold decision by trainer Willie Mullins, who opted to run Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle rather than attempt a third straight Mares’ Hurdle.
The victory was Lossiemouth’s 14th win from 18 career starts and her fourth at the Cheltenham Festival, following her Triumph Hurdle success in 2023. Mullins credited the application of cheekpieces for sharpening her focus. “She has that mare’s pedigree which gives her that bit of speed and the cheekpieces, I think, just made a huge difference,” he said. “It made her concentrate that bit more.”
Jockey Paul Townend, who had fallen at the last on State Man in the same race last year, was relieved to complete the course. “I was just happy to land running at the back of the last this year,” he said. “You probably couldn’t ride her to go any better than it did.”
The win was the 24th festival success for Ricci’s pink colours, and Lossiemouth, a year younger than Annie Power who won the Champion Hurdle in 2016, could return next year. She is priced at around 3-1 for a repeat in 2027.
Earlier on the card, Nicky Henderson’s Old Park Star won the Supreme Novice Hurdle, and the trainer indicated the horse may go chasing next season. “This is only the beginning,” Henderson said. “He’s very talented, and he’s a quick horse too.”
