Donohue Marquees Spring

Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)

WILLIE Mullins was left to rue a nightmare passage for his beaten 1/3 favourite Lossiemouth, but it did not stop the champion trainer from landing a record-extending sixth win in the Grade 1 Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle with high-class filly Gala Marceau.

The Closutton maestro was responsible for 75% of the eight-runner field, and one of his representatives, 125/1 shot Jourdefete, wreaked havoc for Lossiemouth by impeding the JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite when dropping back through the pack.

However, despite racing keenly, Gala Marceau found an impressive amount for pressure when sent on by Danny Mullins in the colours of Kenny Alexander. She finished two and a half lengths clear of Lossiemouth, who also was forced wide on the home bend under Paul Townend when stablemate Gust Of Wind appeared to look for racing room under Seán O’Keeffe.

Take nothing away from the talented winner, though, who had seven and a half lengths to find with the Susannah Ricci-trained runner-up from their Christmas clash in the Knight Frank Juvenile Hurdle, but still managed to turn the tables.

“Paul got into a lot of trouble but the winner is a good filly and she’s improving all the time,” said Mullins, who won the same prize 12 months earlier with Triumph Hurdle scorer Vauban.

“We thought Gala Marceau had every chance coming here today if anything happened to Lossiemouth, who had been working well at home, but the winner probably had more scope for improvement. Gala Marceau jumps very well and is a good filly. As long as both of them are well, the plan will be to go to the Triumph Hurdle.

“I’m not sure whether [third-placed Tekao] will go to the Triumph. He mightn’t be good enough for that and could go to the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle but we’ll see. They’re all probably entitled to go if they want.”

Unlucky

On the crucial interference to Lossiemouth, Mullins added: “Paul thinks he was a little unlucky. The disappointing part about it was that it was another [of Susannah Ricci’s runners, Jourdefete] who weakened and took her back. I think Paul said he got done three times.

“I just hope it doesn’t leave its mark on Lossiemouth, that she had such a hard run from the third last to the line. She put in a huge effort for a juvenile filly. I would have been happier if Paul had maybe just been hands and heels. The writing was on the wall, so what was the point in hitting her?

“He has to have a go, to try and win, but unless Danny made a mistake at the last I thought he wasn’t going to get to that one.”

Bookmakers reacted to the dramatic contest by easing Lossiemouth slightly from a top-priced 11/8 to 15/8 for the Triumph Hurdle, but she remains the favourite from the same stable’s Blood Destiny (11/4 from 7/2) and Gala Marceau (4/1 from 10/1).

Asked what Townend told Ricci immediately after the defeat, the leading owner said: “Paul felt the best horse didn’t win the race. That’s not to take anything from the winner because she was good the last day, but clearly when the race was just starting to get going we lost a furlong from another of our horses.

“The winner is a good horse and deserves credit. I’m disappointed, of course, but I think we’ve got a fine filly in Lossiemouth and Cheltenham will be a different story.”