Leopardstown Racecourse, Ireland — In a thrilling finale to the top-tier jumps season, Lossiemouth delivered a commanding performance to win the December Hurdle (Grade 1) at Leopardstown on Monday, holding off a fierce challenge from last year’s champion Brighterdaysahead.
Sent off as the strong 4-6 favourite, the Willie Mullins-trained mare lived up to expectations with a well-judged ride by Paul Townend, sealing yet another elite success in front of an enthusiastic festive crowd.
From the break, Lossiemouth tracked the pace and stayed close to the leaders before asserting control in the home straight. Brighterdaysahead, making her first start of the season for trainer Gordon Elliott, made a spirited late surge under Jack Kennedy but couldn’t overhaul the favourite, finishing a length behind in second.
“I hoped she’d get me out of trouble — like she did,” Townend said after the race, reflecting on a performance that showed both class and tactical awareness. “I was anxious when Patrick [Mullins on Anzadam] flew over a couple of hurdles, but Lossiemouth kept pulling when it mattered.”
The victory reinforces Lossiemouth’s status as one of the standout mares in National Hunt racing and caps off the final Grade One win of the year at Leopardstown’s landmark Christmas Festival.
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