1.55 Leopardstown: Triumph Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth out to follow in footsteps of Vauban

Full marks to Brendan Duke and Henry de Bromhead for a spirit of adventure, as this Grade 1 would otherwise have been handed to Willie Mullins on a plate.

In truth, their participation is perhaps largely a matter of cosmetics rather than competition. Duke's runner Darraby is a 72-rated Flat maiden lacking in hurdling experience, while De Bromhead's Ascending, though a winner on the Flat for Clive Cox and a promising second on his introduction to hurdling, will do well to reverse course-and-distance maiden form with the Mullins-trained Tekao, who appears to have at least a couple ahead of him in Closutton's glamorous juvenile pecking order.

Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and De Bromhead has reason to recall that short-priced favouritism is not a guaranteed passport to success in this event. Three years ago he saddled 1-3 favourite Aspire Tower, who fell at the last when disputing the lead.

Lossiemouth will be a similar price this time as she bids to win the same prep as Vauban before last year's Triumph Hurdle win. A stylish winner on her debut at Auteuil last April, she started off for Mullins with a handsome Grade 3 victory at Fairyhouse in December, beating shorter-priced stablemate Zarak The Brave with Joseph O'Brien's Comfort Zone third.

That form now looks strong in the Anglo-Irish context in view of Comfort Zone's Grade 2 brace at Chepstow and Cheltenham.
Race analysis by Alan Sweetman

Townend: 'It would have been impossible to get off Lossiemouth'

Paul Townend said it would have been impossible to desert Triumph Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth given she has done nothing wrong on either start since arriving from France, but the rider has given a big shout out to two of the favourite's stablemates, Gala Marceau and Gust Of Wind.

Townend said: "Lossiemouth is a course-and-distance winner and two from two for Willie. Gala Marceau will improve a lot for her run when she followed Lossiemouth home over Christmas, but it would have been impossible to get off Lossiemouth and I hope she can further enhance her reputation and take another step towards the Triumph Hurdle here."

Writing in his Ladbrokes blog, Townend added: "Willie introduces Gust Of Wind here. He goes well at home and is definitely worth watching."

Paul Townend: rides LossiemouthCredit: Patrick McCann

What they say 

Rachael Blackmore, rider of Ascending
He is probably going to have to improve on his Leopardstown run if he is going to be involved, but it was his first run over hurdles so he is entitled to improve. He was a good horse on the Flat in Britain last year when he was trained by Clive Cox and I'm looking forward to seeing how he will go here.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Gust Of Wind, Jourdefete, Tekao, Cinsa, Gala Marceau and Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth's two Irish runs have been very, very good and we don’t see any reason why she shouldn’t continue to improve. She comes here with the best credentials of any in our team. Gala Marceau was second to Lossiemouth at Christmas and sweated up a good bit on the day. That might be her nature, but one would expect her to improve a good bit for that run which clearly puts her firmly in the picture. Tekao won nicely over course and distance last time, but this is a fair jump in class. I’m not sure he can do it, but we’ll have to see. Gust Of Wind won on his debut in France in Auteuil and did that very well. We’ve been happy with how he’s adapted to Irish hurdles and how he works at home. He’s entitled to take his chance. We ran Jourdefete at Christmas and he disappointed. He has to improve a good deal to be involved.
Reporting by David Jennings

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