CHELTENHAM 16:00

All 9 ran. Hurdles: 8.

Time: 3m 53.8s Closing Sectional: (4.15f): 56.8s (104.2%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 117%, Betfair SP 101.9%

To see Constitution Hill parade before racing was to be reminded of what might have been in this division, that he would win the Champion Hurdle just once scarcely believable after he'd trotted up in 2023, his career over jumps effectively ended following a win on the Flat at Southwell last month; he wasn't the only notable absentee, with stable-companion Sir Gino on the sidelines and State Man, 2024 winner and unlucky 12 months later, out for the whole season, which created an opportunity for Lossiemouth, beaten by Constitution Hill in the 2024 Christmas Hurdle and a faller the only time she faced State Man, to step up from the Mares' Hurdle, hers the fifth victory in the last 7 runnings for a mare, her performance clearly superior to those of Epatante and Golden Ace but a shade behind the better of Honeysuckle's 2 wins, though matching the last-named with a fourth Festival win, young enough at 7 yrs to think she might be able to emulate Quevega, who won here 6 seasons running; after a standing start, the early pace was slow, the tempo lifting from the third.

LOSSIEMOUTH (FR) in first-time cheekpieces after her subdued performance in the Irish Champion, was back on her A-game finally given the chance to run in the Champion Hurdle, after previous wins at the Festival in the Triumph and the Mares' Hurdle (twice), her turn of foot decisive under conditions that were a little against both the second and third; tracked pace, travelled well, pressed leader from fifth, led soon after 2 out, quickened clear approaching last, in command run-in; she's remarkably consistent, a bit like Jonbon, and is young enough to think she can match Quevega's 6 successive Festival wins.

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (FR) one-all with the winner in 2 previous Grade 1s this winter, was easy to back as the ground dried out and came up short, the winner just having too much speed for her under the conditions; led after first, shaken up 2 out, headed soon after, left behind by winner early in straight, kept on run-in; she's the same age as the winner and there isn't much between them on their best form, likely that Brighterdaysahead will find other opportunites to turn the tables on her rival.

THE NEW LION unbeaten on his completed starts over hurdles and winner of the Baring Bingham at last season's Festival, ran up to his best, though like the runner-up left the impression he would have benefited from more emphasis on stamina, lacking the winner's turn of foot after looking a threat at the second last, the Aintree Hurdle the obvious next step with him; waited with, travelled well, headway fifth, close up 2 out, shaken up home turn, not quicken, kept on run-in.

ALEXEI (GER) ran a cracker up in grade and would have finished even closer had he not made a mess of the last, the error checking his momentum after he'd moved into a challenging position for a place; waited with, not fluent third, headway after fifth, pushed along after 3 out, not quicken entering straight, third when mistake last, no extra run-in.

GOLDEN ACE a fortunate winner of last season's Champion Hurdle, had missed a possible run in the Kingwell (on very testing ground) but she looked in good shape after 11 weeks off and ran creditably, just not good enough with no misfortune befalling her rivals this time, though her jumping wasn't the slickest either; waited with, not always fluent, closing when not fluent again 2 out, not quicken home turn.

PONIROS who caused one of the shocks in Festival history when winning the Triumph on hurdling debut (a feat no longer possible after a rule change), has presumably not had an ideal prep for hurdling this season, but he looked very fit and ran about as well as could have been expected, leaving the impression he's ready for a step up in trip; raced off the pace, not fluent third, outpaced before 3 out, plugged on straight.

ANZADAM (FR) running in a fourth consecutive Grade 1, seemed likely to come up short anyway but effectively lost all chance when he nearly lost the rider after clouting the second.

TUTTI QUANTI (FR) as predicted, faced a significantly stiffer task in this grade, though his chance went before the race had begun, becoming mulish after a couple of aborted starts, setting off behind the rest and essentially allowed to come home in his own time.

WORKAHEAD (IRE) was simply flying too high in this grade; led first, remained prominent, weakened after 3 out.