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Lossiemouth lights up Punchestown with brilliant display
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 1 May 2026
Willie Mullins once again dominated on the penultimate day of the Punchestown Festival but it was Lossiemouth who lit up Friday’s action in the Boodles Champion Hurdle.
Having finally been allowed to take her chance in the Cheltenham equivalent this season where she ran out an easy winner, she was providing Mullins with a fourth successive win in the Punchestown event on the back of a State Man hat-trick.
Paul Townend took no chances on the 2-7 favourite by keeping her on the outside of Golden Ace and Wilful before kicking clear approaching the last to win by five lengths from the admirable Golden Ace in second.
“She was very dominant again, when we turned out of the back straight she started running away with me,” said Townend.
Lossiemouth returned to a rapturous reception (Brian Lawless/PA)
“I thought we were going a good gallop but she was always dominant.
“The cheekpieces seem to have made a real difference to her but to be fair she wasn’t too bad without them was she! She’s a very good mare.
“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.
“State Man has been a great servant but imagine how lucky we are to have her to step into his shoes.”
Rich Ricci owns Lossiemouth with his wife, Susannah, and 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.
“Fair play to the second, Golden Ace is a fantastic mare and she ran a great race. They are lovely people as well.
“She’s incredible, she’s a lovely, lovely mare. Hopefully we’re back at Cheltenham next year and maybe here again.”
Mullins and Townend had another Cheltenham winner follow up in Grade One company when King Rasko Grey (8-13 favourite) added the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle to his Turners success, however he only just held on.
The Faye Bramley-trained four-year-old Lord Byron, still a maiden over hurdles but with smart form to his name, came with a late rattle under Harry Cobden but just failed by a head.
“I would have been disgusted if I had got mugged,” said Townend.
“If Harry had come to me earlier I think he would have just pushed me on down the track.
King Rasko Grey just held on under Paul Townend (Brian Lawless/PA)
“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.”
Mark Walsh celebrated his 900th career winner when Mullins’ Dinoblue repeated her success of 12 months ago in the Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Glencarraig Lady Francis Flood Mares Chase.
Dinoblue provided Mark Walsh with his 900th winner (Brian Lawless/PA)
The 2-5 favourite belted the third last but just as Townend attempted to make a challenge on Spindelberry, the JP McManus-owned Dinoblue scooted clear again to win by six and a half lengths.
Walsh said: “Starting out you just want to lose your claim and then when you lose your claim you want to ride big winners so to get 900 is brilliant.
“She was brilliant bar the third-last. She was meeting it a little wrong and she just came up and was brave but that was the only blip. She was great.
“She can do it from the front, from the back, two miles, two and a half, two-mile-six, she’s very versatile. She can win at any trip and she likes it here.
“She’s a joy. She’s so easy to ride.”
Mullins was also successful with Funiculi Funicula (7-2) in the QuinnBet Novice Handicap Chase.
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