Lossiemouth in cruise control to take Morgiana Hurdle

Lossiemouth took her first step towards a Champion Hurdle bid when breezing to victory in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

A three-time Cheltenham Festival winner, rather frustratingly for some she has never taken part in the hurdling blue riband, instead dominating against her own sex at Prestbury Park the last two years.

She ended last season by winning the Aintree Hurdle and with Willie Mullins’ shuffling his pack following the season-ending injury to race regular and ace two-miler State Man, Rich Ricci’s brilliant mare was seen as the perfect super-sub as she put her Champion Hurdle credentials to the test.

Immediately to the front in the hands of Paul Townend, there was never a moment’s worry for all connected, as the 1-5 favourite had her rivals under severe pressure two furlongs from home and her jockey able to look around and find only daylight in behind, cruising home well clear of David Kelly’s outsider Glen Kiln in second.

Mullins said: “She was very good. The race was run at an even pace on heavy ground and she did what she needed to do.

“We weren’t going to hold her up today, I didn’t see any point. We let her out to gallop, see how she is and put her right for the next time.

“They didn’t go anything like the pace they went at Kempton (Christmas Hurdle) last year, but we don’t want to light her up too much. As a four-year-old she was way too free.

“Leopardstown at Christmas would look the obvious place to go.

“She fell there before and took a chance at the fourth-last today, but hopefully she doesn’t do something like that again.

“We were very disappointed with Irancy (last of the four starters). Mark (Walsh) said the ground when he came in, but I don’t think so. He was beaten way too early.”

All eyes now turn to Newcastle at the weekend for what promises to be a hugely informative Fighting Fifth Hurdle, and Mullins added: “The plan is for Anzadam to go to Newcastle next Saturday. I hear Golden Ace is going to go there and with Constitution Hill and The New Lion it is going to be a hell of a race.”