Lossiemouth wins Aintree Hurdle as Constitution Hill falls again

Constitution Hill fell for the second time in succession as Lossiemouth landed the Aintree Hurdle to seal a Grade One four-timer for trainer Willie Mullins on the first day of the Grand National meeting.

The Nicky Henderson-trained favourite suffered a shock departure in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.

It looked as though he was travelling well for Nico de Boinville on Thursday - turning for home this time, although he was trying to find racing room.

But as De Boinville switched out to launch his challenge, Constitution Hill once again got his jumping wrong and hit the turf, leaving Lossiemouth and Wodhooh at the head of the field.

Paul Townend then seized the initiative on Lossiemouth and the pair won by two and three-quarter lengths.

"I was disappointed for Michael [Buckley, owner], Nicky and Nico and the connections of Constitution Hill - and for racing," said Mullins, whose charge had been beaten by Henderson's star at Kempton in December.

"We came here knowing our mare was in good shape and we thought the trip would suit us this time.

"When Paul made his move it has eventually paid off, but I was wondering had he done it too soon.

"Nico has a great habit of looking like he is under pressure and then finding another bit in the last furlong. A couple of times, we've thought we had Nico beat and he's actually got a little bit up his sleeve, so I did wonder if Paul had played his cards too early. But it was gifted to him so what could he do?"

Henderson was left trying to make sense of what he had seen.

"It is heartbreaking and to do it twice, you couldn't believe it really," he said.

"He is genuinely the best jumper you'll ever see. But in that vocabulary there is just what you would have called a one per cent chance of doing what he's done, but he's done it twice, which does worry you, of course it does. But how can you iron it out?

"As Nico said, he'd been fantastic the whole way. At a couple of hurdles he went in short and that's what we've been trying to get him to do, but when you're going to three out and racing like that you can't afford to do that, you've got to go, and Nico said he just came up too soon.

"Nico said he was full of running and his words to me were that he actually had Lossiemouth where he wanted her. He was happy with her in front rather than behind."

It was the fourth win from the first four races on the day's card for trainer Willie Mullins with Townend taking the ride on three of the four winners.

Impaire Et Passe (9-4), who skipped the Cheltenham Festival, started the run under Townend in the Manifesto Novices' Chase before Murcia (11-4) claimed an easy win in the Juvenile Hurdle for the pair.

Mullins' son Patrick then became the first amateur rider to win the Bowl with a well-timed ride on Gaelic Warrior (11-4) to overhaul Grey Dawning for owners Rich and Susannah Ricci, who also own Lossiemouth.

It was an emotional day for the Riccis as another of their horses, Willy De Houelle, earlier sustained a fatal injury in the Juvenile Hurdle.

Frank Keogh, BBC Sport

Jockey Nico de Boinville will have been downbeat after a second successive fall on board Constitution Hill.

The horse took off sooner than the rider wanted, and they came down again.

It was particularly disappointing as Constitution Hill had won all 10 of his previous races before Cheltenham in March.

He had been schooled intensively over jumps after the previous fall, but you cannot replicate the conditions of a race.

Nicky Henderson seemed non-plussed that it had happened again, but is prepared to take on Lossiemouth again at Punchestown in four weeks' time.

Constitution Hill will be on another recovery mission in a rollercoaster career – since his Champion Hurdle win in 2023, he missed one comeback because of infection, another through lameness and required hospital treatment in between for suspected colic.

Meanwhile, amateur jockey Huw Edwards followed in a family tradition as he won the Foxhunters Chase over the Grand National fences on Gracchus De Balme (22-1).

Edwards' grandfather Roy rode in the National 12 times, finishing third on Peacetown in 1964.

And in the biggest race of the year for amateur riders, Edwards junior put in a bold ride to hold off the challenge of the Dan Skelton-trained Jet Plane, ridden by Jack Andrews.

"I don't know what to say," an emotional Edwards told ITV Racing. "This is a big one for the amateurs and you can only dream of winning it.

"He jumped, travelled and stayed on very well. It is great to be on him.

"The start was a bit messy but once we turned away from the stand, I was happy after that."