Cheltenham Festival winner Laurina moved to Paul Nicholls from Willie Mullins

Laurina, a mare who appeared to have unlimited potential before finishing fourth in the 2019 Champion Hurdle, has left Willie Mullins to join 11-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls in a surprise move.

After moving from trainer Guillaume Macaire in 2017, Laurina won her next six starts for Mullins by a combined distance of more than 100 lengths.

Her biggest success over hurdles came in the Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse but she also won the Grade 2 Mares' Novice Hurdle at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival.

The following year, she was sent off at 5-2 for the Champion Hurdle but disappointed when beaten 17 lengths by the JP McManus-owned Espoir D'Allen.

Laurina: slamming her rivals at the festival in 2018Credit: John Grossick Racing

Laurina was sent over fences last season and got off to a good start when winning a beginners' chase at Gowran but was then pulled up in her next two starts in Grade 1s at Leopardstown and Sandown.

She was switched back to hurdles on her final start of the season, and what proved to be her final start for Mullins, in February and finished third in the Grade 3 Quevega Mares Hurdle at Punchestown.

Laurina is owned by Sullivan Bloodstock, whose Jared Sullivan has had a number of horses with Nicholls previously, often in partnership with Chris Giles, including dual King George VI Chase winner Silviniaco Conti.

The seven-year-old was spotted on the horses-in-training section of Nicholls' website alongside two other arrivals from the Mullins yard.

Next Destination, who beat Delta Work in a Grade 1 novice hurdle on his most recent start in April 2018, and the Sullivan-owned Saglawy, another Graded winner, were also listed on the site.

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