Champion Hurdle favourite Lossiemouth lays down early Cheltenham marker with Morgiana demolition

There was a sense of deja vu surrounding a prodigiously talented Rich Ricci-owned mare being successfully parachuted into the two-mile hurdling division when Lossiemouth took her first step on the road to rivalling Annie Power as Closutton's most effective supersub, thundering 19 lengths clear in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle.

While the result was entirely anticipated, with Paul Townend's mount going off a 1-5 favourite to beat her three rivals and provide Willie Mullins with his 13th success in the last 15 years, few would have foreseen this ten days ago. 

An injury to the prolific State Man – who had contested this race on his seasonal reappearance for the last three years, wining twice – meant Mullins had to redraw plans and Lossiemouth was drafted in, as opposed to bidding for back-to-back wins in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle next week.

The dual Mares' Hurdle winner was allowed to take a crack at the boys last season but her adventure was shelved shortly before the Cheltenham Festival when connections opted to keep her to her own sex after she chased home Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle and suffered a nasty spill at Leopardstown. 

That change of heart was largely based on the stable's confidence in their Champion Hurdle representative State Man, who would have vindicated their faith in spectacular fashion had he not crashed out at the last, but with him now out of the picture, the stage is set for Lossiemouth. The back door to slip back into mares' company is seemingly shut and the boats are burned.

Lossiemouth: hardened as favourite for the Champion HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"She was very good," said Mullins. "The race was run at an even pace on soft, heavy ground and she did what she needed to do. It was in mine and Paul's heads going out that we wanted to bounce out and go a bit sharper but I don't think they went anything like the pace they went at Kempton last season. We don't want to light her up too much because as a four-year-old she was way too free."

The trainer also watched Irancy trail home last of the four runners, and added: "Irancy was very disappointing. Mark [Walsh] mentioned the ground when he came in but I don't know."

Bar guessing a touch at the fifth hurdle, it was a remarkably straightforward success and the manner in which Lossiemouth blasted further and further clear approaching the last under only gentle encouragement from Townend was clear evidence that she is operating in a different stratosphere to her rivals. 

She was cut to 3-1 (from 7-2) by Coral for the Champion Hurdle and Mullins indicated she could next head to Leopardstown over Christmas.

Mullins said: "That would look the obvious place to go. It's fairly clear there that she's the best of what we have. Well, we'll see whether Anzadam can match that or do better at Newcastle. I hear Golden Ace is going to go so between her, Constitution Hill and The New Lion, it's going to be a hell of a race."

A big slice of credit must go to the Bowe family and trainer Harry Kelly, whose stable star Glen Kiln ran a stormer to finish second and is one of the most improved horses in Ireland over the last 12 months, having landed a handicap off 115 in December.

Read more...

Ice-cool Harry Skelton and Grey Dawning swagger past gutsy Royale Pagaille for easy Betfair Chase success

'He's turning into a really nice staying chaser' - Jango Baie cut to 4-1 for King George as Arkle winner slams rivals in 1965 Chase 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.