Lossiemouth confirmed for Mares’ Hurdle

Lossiemouth will defend her Mares’ Hurdle crown rather than running in the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. 

The news comes as a blow to ante-post punters who had taken Willie Mullins’ word that the mare had been trained for the Champion Hurdle for two years as evidence that she would take on Constitution Hill. 

The news is a blow for the feature race on day one, but will come as a boost to Constitution Hill’s jockey Nico De Boinville, who will be hoping to make up ground on leader Harry Skelton in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup race. 

Brighterdaysahead will take on Nicky Henderson’s stable star in the Champion, as will Jeremy Scott’s mare Golden Ace. 

Mullins has the favourites for the opening Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the My Pension Expert Arkle Novices’ Chase, in the shape of Kopek des Bordes and Majborough.