Connections of Lossiemouth is “leaning towards” a possible clash with Foundation Hill in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
The five-year-old began her campaign when she comfortably beat Teahupoo in the two and a half mile Grace Hurdle from Hatton at the start of the month, a victory which saw her promoted to the leader of the Championship. A bumpy market.
With trainer Willie Mullins also home to reigning champion in-form State Man, who suffered a shock defeat on his return, he is keen to share his stars over the Christmas period and described Kempton as a possible target immediately after the Fairy House victory in Lossiemouth.
She is also entered in the December Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29 – but owner Rich Ricci believes they are more likely to skip that for a trip to Kempton on Boxing Day or even Cheltenham for the Relkeel Hurdle on January 1st.
Ricci told Matt Chapman on it At The Races' Unbridled: “State Man loves Ballyna Leopard, it's a course, he's undefeated there and our only loss was at Ballyna Leopard at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Lossiemouth returned to action with victory in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle
“We might go to Leopardstown for the Dublin Festival of Racing, last year we went to the International (at Cheltenham), but she would have a bigger penalty this year.
“I'd say we're probably leaning towards that (Christmas Hardy), but we can also go the other way. There's an option in a New Year's Day race won by Annie Power at Cheltenham .She will run somewhere at Christmas time, but I think at the moment he is talking about the Christmas Hurdle.
“I think the perception is that you're the favorite for the Champion Hurdle and you're due to run in the Christmas Hurdle, but we'll see what happens. We'll see if she's right to get there, who knows.
“She'll definitely have an entry and we'll take it from there.”
Constitution Hill 'is a monster'
If Constitution Hill plays at Kempton, it will be his first start since comfortably winning Grade One last year with Nicky Henderson's claim to have suffered a number of ailments in the interim.
Nicky Henderson with his stable star Constitution Hill
However, Ricci is not underestimating his challenge, saying: “The Hill Constitution is a monster and if he gets back to where he was, he will certainly be hard to beat.
Leopardstown target for the Gaelic Hero
Another Ricci star to be released over Christmas is Gaelic Warrior, who won the Faugheen Novice Chase and Arkle at the highest level last year.
He is likely to contest the Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown on December 27, although Ricci also mentioned the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton's Ladbrokes on the same day as an alternative.
He said: “I would think he would be out for the first time around Christmas, the Stage One is two miles at Leopardstown, he has gone into that and is maybe you're going to see him there or, depending on what his other runners do, we could travel to Kempton on December 27th, it depends on who else is coming.
“You will see him at Christmas time, he is doing a lot and the plan is to take him out at Christmas time.
A Gaelic hero heading home in the Arkle at Cheltenham
“The plan is to go to the Champion Chase, I wouldn't mind if he went to the Ryanair but at the moment we are only talking about him for the Champion Chase.
“It will be a real race if they all turn up, everyone who plans to get there, and Cheltenham is always the plan until they tell us differently.”
Jonbon currently leads the market for the Queen Mother's Chase at the Festival after his second win on Tingle Creek and Ricci is keen on the Henderson runner as he is a full brother to the star two miler his, Douvan and who has a friend in JP McManus.
He said: “I'd like to win the race, whether we beat Jonbon or whoever. I love Jonbon, I love watching him run and since he's related to Douvan, when we're not racing against him I'm rooting for him and JP is a good friend too.
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