SUCH was the impression made by the victory of Lossiemouth in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Price Boost Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse that she is now considered by many to be a worthy Triumph Hurdle favourite.

Winner of her only start in France when trained by Yannick Fouin, also over hurdles, she was making her debut for Susannah Ricci and trainer Willie Mullins on Sunday, and she won readily from her better fancied stable companion,. She is bred to be useful, though it is some surprise that she didn’t sell as a yearling when €15,000 would probably have secured her.

A daughter of Great Pretender (King’s Theatre), she is out of a mile and a half-winning mare by Gentlewave (Monsun). Let’s start with her sire.

A listed winner at three and runner-up in the Group 2 Prix Noailles at Longchamp to Aidan O’Brien’s Group 1 winner Ballingarry, Great Pretender went on at five to win a listed hurdle race at Auteuil.

A dozen of Great Pretender’s 27 blacktype winners are fillies, Lossiemouth being the latest. That list also includes the brilliant Benie Des Dieux, winner at the highest level of the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, the EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown twice, and the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil Hurdle. Also placed second in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, she is now resident at Bective Stud.

Grade 1

Other Grade 1 winners by Great Pretender are Greaneteen (Celebration Chase at Sandown twice and the Tingle Creek Chase, also at Sandown), Ptit Zig (Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil Hurdle and the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle, again at Auteuil), Dortmund Park (Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown), Great Field (Colliers Novice Chase at Punchestown), and Grand D’Auteuil (the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle in Auteuil).

Grade 2 winning daughters of Great Pretender are Bourbon Beauty, Grangee, and A Mi Manera, Lossiemouth and Angela Du Berlais have won at Grade 3 level, while the listed winning fillies and mares he has sired are Pravalaguna, Morgan Has, West End Girl (also runner-up in the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil d’Ete 4yo Hurdle at Auteuil), Beaute Promise, Azza, and True Love Mail.

On the dam side, Lossiemouth is the fourth foal and second winner from Mariner’s Light. Another of her offspring has placed, while waiting in the wings are a two-year-old colt, Victorius Mariner (Pastorius), and a filly foal by Walzertakt (Montjeu).

Lord Glitters

Mariner’s Light is one of nine winners out of Lady Glitters (Homme De Loi). She failed to win, in spite of being placed nine times, twice at listed level. Having traded for €100,000 as a five-year-old, she failed to find a buyer 10 years later for just €7,000. Incredibly, she was carrying her best offspring at the time, Lord Glitters (Whipper).

Lord Glitters made €25,000 as a yearling, €270,000 as a four-year-old, and has so far won more than £2.1 million, successful in four countries. At Group 1 level he has visited the winners’ enclosure following the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Jebel Hatta Stakes in Meydan, while also being placed in the Queen Anne Stakes, the Sussex Stakes and the Dubai Turf.