There was a full-throated roar from the stands as the 2026 Dublin racing festival finally got under way on Sunday and another as Lossiemouth, the favourite, went to post for the Irish Champion Hurdle later in the afternoon, but the cheers 10 minutes later were for her market rival, Brighterdaysahead, as Gordon Elliott’s mare convincingly reversed the form of the December Hurdle here last month to win the big race of the day.
Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead were foaled within three weeks of each other in March 2019 but last month’s Grade One was the first time that the two mares had met on the track.
Lossiemouth emerged as the winner by a length, recording a ninth Grade One win in the process, but she did not look comfortable at any stage here on Sunday as El Fabiolo, a stable companion at the Willie Mullins yard, set a steady pace with Brighterdaysahead in close attendance.
Paul Townend, Lossiemouth’s rider, made some ground on the turn for home as El Fabiolo dropped away, but Jack Kennedy soon pushed Brighterdaysahead into a useful lead and a good jump at the last set the seal on a three-and-a-quarter length success.
The result prompted some abrupt and significant moves in the ante-post betting for next month’s Cheltenham festival, as Lossiemouth, who set off as the narrow favourite for the Champion Hurdle on 10 March, was pushed out to a top price of 7-1 and simultaneously cut to around 11-10 for the Mares’ Hurdle, a race she has won in the past two seasons, on 12 March.
Brighterdaysahead, meanwhile, is now alongside The New Lion, the winner of last month’s International Hurdle at Cheltenham, at the top of the Champion Hurdle market, despite having finished only fourth as a 5-2 shot for the race last season. Elliott’s mare is top-priced at 11-4, though several firms bracket the pair as 5-2 joint-favourites.
“If we’d run well and been beaten by Lossiemouth, that would have been enough to run in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham,” Michael O’Leary, Brighterdaysahead’s owner, said. “Winning was a bonus. If she’s run well and jumped well on that kind of [very soft] ground, then she’s fit to go to the Champion Hurdle and that’s where we’ll go. They’re two very good mares, her and Lossiemouth, and we’re very lucky to be in this position.”
Townend, meanwhile, reported that he had not been happy at any point aboard the favourite. “I was never comfortable on her,” Townend said. “It surprised me that I actually got in with a chance at any stage. Everything was hard work today.”
Brighterdaysahead’s win was a significant boost for Elliott in his attempt to depose Mullins as Ireland’s champion trainer and claim the title for the first time. Mullins, though, responded with two Grade One wins on the day, saddling the 5-1 shot, Kaid d’Authie, to upset his stable-companion, Final Demand, the 1-3 favourite, in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase before the mercurial Majborough returned to form in impressive style in the Dublin Chase.
Kempton: 12.52 Jem’s Lilly 1.27 Aviation 2.02 Step Ahead 2.35 Graecia 3.07 Madara 3.42 Grand Conqueror 4.17 Lover Desbois
Southwell: 1.02 Roger Rarebit 1.37 Benmore 2.12 Wilstar 2.45 Moyganny Phil 3.17 Parish Star 3.52 Firm But Fair 4.27 La Higuera
Wolverhampton: 5.00 Take The Boat 5.30 Leonetto 6.00 Flicka’s girl 6.30 Ernie’s Valentine (nap) 7.00 Corundum 7.30 Francesco Baracca 8.00 Electrocution (nb)
Majborough was the beaten favourite in last season’s Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and also in his two previous starts this season, but he jumped impeccably in front in first-time cheekpieces and eventually powered 21 lengths clear of Marine Nationale, last season’s Queen Mother Champion Chase winner.
“Mark [Walsh, Majborough’s jockey] wanted to do things his way today, and that paid off huge,” Mullins said. “He was happier doing it and the horse was obviously happier doing it, so onwards and upwards.”
Majborough is the new favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase on 11 March at a top price of 7-4, while Marine Nationale, the ante-post favourite going into Sunday’s race, is out to 3-1.
