Lossiemouth capitalised on Constitution Hill's fall at the second last to win the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.
Constitution Hill had suffered his first defeat under Rules when falling in the Champion Hurdle and exited in similar style here when taking off too soon under Nico de Boinville and hitting the top of the penultimate flight. There were still cards to be played, but Constitution Hill had work to do after he had been caught on heels turning in and lost his position.
The exit of the evens favourite presented Lossiemouth, a 5/4 chance, with a golden opportunity but she was made to work by Wodhooh who ran well up in class after winning the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month.
Lossiemouth, who had won a second Mares' Hurdle at the Festival, kept on well, though, and was ultimately nicely on top to score by two and three-quarter lengths for Paul Townend.
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Lossiemouth was a fourth Grade 1 winner on the day for Willie Mullins who had also struck with Impaire et Passe in the Manifesto Novices' Chase, Murcia in the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle and Gaelic Warrior in the Bowl. The four-timer paid a shade over 100/1.
Like most racing fans, Mullins admitted he had been hoping to see the big clash play out with Nicky Henderson's star, and he said: "I was disappointed that Constitution Hill fell - I’m disappointed for Michael [Buckley, owner], for connections, Nicky and Nico, and disappointed for racing as well. We came here with our mare in good shape, and we thought the trip would suit us on the day. We never got to find out, really.
“I was wondering whether Paul had got there too soon, and had he run his race, maybe. Nico has a great habit of looking under pressure and then finding a bit in the last furlong, so oftentimes you think you have Nico beaten and he has a little bit up his sleeve. I wondered at the time, had Paul played the card too early? But it was gifted to him and what can you do?
“I imagine she’ll go to Punchestown, if she comes out of this alright. That’s her normal plan. State Man will be going for the Champion Hurdle there and we’d probably keep them apart.”
Townend, riding his third winner of the day having missed out in the Bowl when aboard the pulled-up Embassy Gardens, said: "She's a lovely mare, the second ran a brilliant race as well.
"Two and a half miles was ideal for her here, the race was ideal for her. The ground was lively enough and was drying out every minute but she coped with it well."
On the yard's success, he added: "It's incredible. It only feels like yesterday we were in Cheltenham so the team we left at home did a brilliant job keeping the horses fresh and well."
'Came up too soon'
Reflecting on a second successive fall for Constitution Hill, who thankfully got up along with De Boinville, Henderson said: "To do it twice, you couldn't believe it really.
"He is genuinely the best jumper you'll ever see but in that vocabulary you'll have called it a 1% chance of doing what he's done - but he's done it twice. Which does worry you, of course it does.
"He was good and had been shortening up, and that's what we'd been trying to get him to do, but when you're racing like that you can't afford to [go short], you've got to go. Nico said he just came up too soon."
Henderson reported that De Boinville felt Constitution Hill still had plenty to offer: "He said he was full of running. His words to me were I've got Lossiemouth where I want her. He was happy with her in front rather than behind. He said that was fine at the time."
Henderson added that a trip to Punchestown was still under consideration for Constitution Hill.
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