The decision by connections to run Lossiemouth in today’s Unibet Champion Hurdle (4 p.m.), rather than the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on Thursday, is good for racing but not ideal for my two ante-post bets in the big race, the highlight of day one of the Cheltenham Festival. 

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Irish trainer Willie Mullins’ talented mare is unbeaten in her three visits to the Cheltenham Festival, winning a Triumph Hurdle and two Mares’ Hurdles. This will be her stiffest task to date as she is probably even better over two-and-a-half miles than today’s trip of just over two miles. However, she is still going to be very hard to beat today, especially with cheekpieces fitted for the first time. 

Unlike Lossiemouth, Brighterdaysahead, the other mare at the top of the market, has saved her best performances for away from Cheltenham, failing to win despite being well fancied on both her visits to the Festival over the past two years. 

The New Lion, who won the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival a year ago, is the other horse at the top of the market with a big chance of winning. Stable confidence seems high but I would expect at least one of the three mares in the line-up to beat him.  

I am happy enough with my two ante-post bets in the race: the third mare Golden Ace each way at 16-1 and Tutti Quanti each way at 20-1. 

Golden Ace was, of course, lucky to win the Champion Hurdle last year after first Constitution Hill, the 1-2 favourite, and then State Man, who had a commanding lead at the last hurdle, fell. However, according to her trainer Jeremy Scott, Golden Ace comes into today’s race in better form than last year and I wouldn’t put anyone backing her each way now at 10-1. 

Tutti Quanti might just be outclassed in such a competitive race but he is an improving horse who is likely to lead and he should, at least, give........

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