‘Queen of Cheltenham’ Lossiemouth cruises to Champion Hurdle win

‘Queen of Cheltenham’ Lossiemouth cruises to Champion Hurdle winImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lossiemouth is unbeaten at Cheltenham Festival with four wins from four startsByCharlotte CoatesBBC Sport journalist at Cheltenham FestivalPublished42 minutes agoLossiemouth was labelled a “star mare” after cementing herself in Cheltenham Festival folklore with a dominant victory in the Champion Hurdle.With 2023 champion Constitution Hill not running having switched from jumps to Flat racing, the field was wide open.But it was Lossiemouth, the 2024 and 2025 winner of the Mares’ Hurdle, who justified her standing as 7-5 favourite. With Paul Townend on board, the mare finished in front of Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead and Dan Skelton’s The New Lion. Trainer Willie Mullins told ITV: “She’s a star mare. To come back four years in a row, let alone win, that is incredible.”When I put her cheek pieces on her I thought, wow, that’s the old Lossiemouth.”Jockey Townend added: “It’s easy when they have as much ability as she does. She turns up and she does her business.”Having also had two victories in the Mares’ Hurdle and the 2023 Triumph Hurdle, Lossiemouth is now a four-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival.Owner Rich Ricci reported the Champion Hurdle success on her first attempt was “great for the sport”.He told ITV: “Unbelievable, magic, great. It is hard to win these races, and she always tries. “All credit goes to Willie [Mullins] – 10 days ago, he reported he wanted to try her with cheek pieces, and it worked.”She loves this place, long may it last.”BBC Radio 5 Live’s John Hunt was also left impressed by the performance in the Champion Hurdle.He reported: “Lossiemouth will be crowned queen of Cheltenham! The truth is – she is far too good.”Harry’s Horses