Brighterdaysahead turned the tables on Lossiemouth to claim top honours in the Timeless Sash Windows Irish Champion Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth had come finished in front when the pair met for the first time in Leopardstown’s December Hurdle late last month and she was the 4-6 favourite to confirm her superiority in their Dublin Racing Festival rematch.
However, Brighterdaysahead (11-4) was entitled to improve from what was her first start of the season following an autumn setback and took her revenge in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Lossiemouth’s stablemate El Fabiolo led the five-strong field for much of the two-mile journey, with Brighterdaysahead always his nearest pursuer while Paul Townend did not appear entirely happy on board the market leader racing down the back straight in third.
With El Fabiolo falling away, Lossiemouth did manage close the gap on Brighterdaysahead rounding the home turn, but Gordon Elliott’s mare finished the stronger in the testing conditions and was three and a quarter lengths in front at the line.