There was a positive bulletin on Monkfish, owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci, who made a winning return from 272 days off the track in the Galmoy Hurdle.
A Cheltenham Festival winner in both the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, injury has meant he has not visited Prestbury Park since he was victorious in 2021.
He holds entries for both the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup this time around and although connections are set to make a late call on which race gets the nod, a return to fencing for a crack at the blue riband is a real possibility for the 10-year-old.
“It was magic to see (him win the Galmoy) and he did well on his return,” said the owners’ racing manager Joe Chambers.
“Touch wood he has been sound since and we will try to keep him sound between now and March.
“Our inclination has always been to go back over fences, but let’s see how things shape up and the respective races shape up between now and March. A lot could change, but if we can keep him in one piece we look forward to running him wherever that may be.
“It could be (the Gold Cup) and that’s what we would like to do, but we are still six and a half weeks out from that and we will probably leave that decision to the week of Cheltenham.”
The same connections own Lossiemouth and are content to stick to the process and head to the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after dazzling on Trials Day.
Last year’s Triumph Hurdle scorer had not been seen since adding to her Grade One haul at the Punchestown Festival, with trainer Willie Mullins electing to tread a different path with his juvenile graduates this season and keep them under wraps until turning five at the turn of the year.
Sent to the Unibet Hurdle for her seasonal bow – on the same day stablemate and regular adversary Gala Marceau headed to Doncaster – she delivered a breathtaking display to dominate her elders and firmly dispatch Love Envoi, who was left trailing the best part of 10 lengths behind in second.
The manner of victory opened up the tantalising prospect of Lossiemouth taking on the likes of Constitution Hill and State Man in the Champion Hurdle.
However, Plan A has always been to head to the Mares’ Hurdle 40 minutes later on the opening day of the Festival, where as a best price of 4/5 favourite, she would have a fine chance of following in the footsteps of Vroum Vroum Mag (2016) and Benie Des Dieux (2018) by winning the Grade One contest for owners Rich and Susannah Ricci.
“The team were pretty happy she was in great form beforehand and she clearly was, but I think the manner of the victory surprised all of us,” continued Chambers.
“That was great to see and hopefully the patient approach we have taken with her will reward us as well as the season goes on.
“That (Mares’ Hurdle) has been the plan all along and continues to be the plan today. Things can change, but I think we will be leaning towards the Mares’ unless a number of things occurred to change our mind. She’s odds-on for one and 8/1 for the other.”
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