'Dynamite' Lossiemouth caps dream season with Punchestown Champion Hurdle win
Paul Townend on his way to winning The Boodles Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) with Lossiemouth at Punchestown. Pic: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
A crowd of 43,572 flocked to Punchestown for Ladies’ Day and Lossiemouth, racing’s leading lady, ensured they went home happy by sauntering to victory in the Boodles Champion Hurdle.
In the absence of Brighterdaysahead, the only horse to have beaten Lossiemouth this season, anything but a comfortable win would have been a disappointment for the Willie Mullins-trained grey.
And her supporters never had a moment's worry as the 2-7 favourite eased to a five-length win over British raider Golden Ace to take her Grade One tally to 11, an astonishing figure considering she’s still only a seven-year-old.
She wasn’t as impressive as she was when winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, her fourth Festival success, but she didn’t need to be and jockey Paul Townend, for whom, even by his high standards, this has been an incredible season, was a happy man as he reflected on her exploits in the aftermath of this latest success.
“You'd go a long way to find one like her,” Townend said. “It’s hard to believe she’s still only seven, she seems to have been around forever and hopefully we’ve got her for a few more years yet.
“She’s so simple now as well, you can put her where you want. You go to the start, line her up there, and take it as the race presents itself.”
Reflecting on how the race unfolded, Townend added: “She locked on leaving the back straight and I was trying to keep it as simple as I could, which can often end up complicating it more.
“But you trust her, she has so much ability that you don't want to have a hard-luck story but she was dynamite. Once I grabbed hold of her, she was alive underneath me and away with her down the straight.”
Rich Ricci, who owns Lossiemouth with his wife Susannah, said: “It’s all down to the mare, Willie, and the whole team, brilliant.
“It’s a dream season, you dream of these things, but I can tell you, living it, it’s so hard as you get so nervous.
“It’s an amazing season, we’ve had some lovely horses in the past but this one is something special and I’m very appreciative.
“She’s incredible, she’s a lovely, lovely mare. Hopefully we’re back at Cheltenham next year and maybe here again.”
Lossiemouth’s win was part of a day four four-timer for her absent trainer that included both Grade Ones on the card.
Like Lossiemouth, King Rasko Grey came here on the back of a Cheltenham success, in his case the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, and he got the job done in the Grade One Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle, albeit only just as British raider Lord Byron rattled home for Harry Cobden after the last to get within a head of the 8-13 favourite.
“I would have been disgusted if I had got mugged,” Townend, who was completing a treble, admitted. “If Harry had come to me earlier I think he would have just pushed me on down the track.
“He’s a big horse and he doesn’t get the credit for the size of him, I think. I don’t want to say fences too much because he’d end up hurdling then but I’d love to ride him over a fence.”
Those sentiments were echoed by assistant trainer David Casey, who said: “It was great. I was a bit worried when they were going so slow because he stays well.
“It was a bit of a dash down the straight and he pulled up a bit in front, he was waiting for the horses behind him. He’s a good horse and I think chasing will really suit him, he’s a made chaser.
“It’s great to get the win today and we’ll look forward to next season with him.”
