Substitute Myziane Maolida scored a late equaliser as Hibernian came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with 10-man Kilmarnock in an entertaining Scottish Premiership match at Rugby Park.

The hosts took a first-half lead when striker Dylan Vente inadvertently headed Danny Armstrong’s cross into his own goal and Killie extended their advantage early in the second period as another Armstrong inswinger was steered in by Matty Kennedy.

Joe Newell’s spectacular volley reduced the deficit before Corrie Ndaba saw red for the hosts with 20 minutes remaining after catching Jair Tavares on the ankle.

And the home side were unable to hold on, as Maolida latched on to a long ball before firing home to salvage a point for Hibs in a game in which they were second best for long periods.

After a three-minute delay owing to VAR connection issues, the game began in an open fashion, with David Watson whistling a fierce drive over in the opening minute and Vente firing a low shot narrowly wide moments later.

The hosts took the lead in the 25th minute after Hibs failed to clear their lines from a corner. Armstrong collected the ball before curling in an inswinging cross from the right that Vente could only divert past his own goalkeeper.

It should have been 2-0 moments later as Kennedy was released one-on-one with David Marshall but the winger prodded a tame effort wide of the right post.

Hibernian had been poor but they almost grabbed a leveller on the stroke of half-time as home goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara was forced to palm away a Emiliano Marcondes effort from eight yards.

The visitors also spurned another golden chance just a minute into the second period when Tavares was released by Vente’s flicked header but the Portuguese winger took too long, allowing Stuart Findlay to make a crucial last-ditch sliding tackle.

Hibs were soon made to pay for those missed opportunities as Kilmarnock extended their lead in the 54th minute. Armstrong was the architect again, delivering another inch-perfect cross that Kennedy expertly slid past Marshall.

The hosts looked to get back into the game and Killie keeper O’Hara made a brilliant one-handed stop in the 58th minute to deny Tavares.

O’Hara was helpless minutes later, however, as the away side got themselves back into the game. It was their best move of the match, with Marcondes and Dylan Levitt combining in midfield to release Rory Whittaker, whose deflected cross was steered wonderfully into the top corner by Newell from the edge of the box.

Hibs were almost level just seconds later as the ball was cut back to Marcondes but O’Hara again saved well, with his feet this time.

Ndaba was then given his marching orders in the 71st minute, with referee Grant Irvine giving the red card after being recommended by VAR to consult the pitchside monitor.

And Hibs’ numerical advantage told when Maolida controlled Levitt’s hopeful long ball before firing through bodies past O’Hara with nine minutes remaining.

It could have got even better for the visitors but Christian Doidge’s late header landed just wide as an entertaining game ended in a draw.

Substitute Cauley Woodrow scored the winner deep into added time as Luton reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in 11 years with a 2-1 victory over Everton.

The additional five minutes indicated had already passed when a goalmouth scramble at a corner saw Woodrow convert from close range after Arnaut Danjuma’s clearance had rebounded off him.

It spared the blushes of Hatters goalkeeper Tim Krul, whose error looked like allowing the hosts to escape with a replay in a tie distinctly lacking in magic for the majority.

The Netherlands international let Jack Harrison’s long-range shot squirm from his grasp and trickle over the line to cancel out Vitalii Mykolenko’s contentious first-half own goal.

Everton’s back-up goalkeeper Joao Virginia, man of the match in their third-round replay victory over Crystal Palace 10 days ago, had kept them in the game with two crucial saves while Nathan Patterson also cleared a shot off the line.

Perhaps expectations should have been lowered for a tie between the Premier League’s 17th and 18th-placed teams, both of whom have their focus on avoiding relegation, but Everton failed to make home advantage count with an uninspiring performance.

Everton started Beto in place of the injured Andre Gomes, their match-winner against Palace, for only his sixth start of the season in a switch to 4-4-2.

While the big front man was full of enthusiasm, any hope he could quickly dovetail with Dominic Calvert-Lewin was soon dispelled as the pair barely linked up with each other and frequently found themselves in the same area challenging for the same ball.

In the one time they did manage to pick each other out, Beto placed a low shot wide from the edge of the penalty area when Calvert-Lewin should probably have slipped in Harrison.

Luton were better, but not hugely, with Elijah Adebayo heading wide Carlton Morris’ hanging cross and former Toffees midfielder Ross Barkley’s shot was headed away by James Tarkowski.

When they eventually took the lead five minutes before half-time it was not without a whiff of controversy because Calvert-Lewin overcommitted trying to attack Alfie Doughty’s inswinging ball and Barkley’s helping hand ensured momentum carried him to the ground.

The ball dropped into the space behind him where Mykolenko, under pressure from Reece Burke, deflected it down inside the near post and there was no VAR ruling over Barkley’s intervention.

Everton’s equaliser came 10 minutes after the break from their one real moment of attacking quality as Beto’s cross-field pass picked out Harrison, who showed a deftness of touch he lacked for most of the game to trap and cut inside, and Krul’s weak save contributed the assist.

Either side of that Virginia displayed his growing confidence deputising for the rested Jordan Pickford, denying Morris’ header and then getting the faintest of fingertips to Adebayo’s shot across him after the Luton forward had taken advantage of Jarrad Branthwaite’s slip to create a two-on-one.

However, team-mate Andros Townsend, to his right, had good justification for wondering why he did not receive the pass but when the former Everton winger took matters into his own hands to skip past Tarkowski and Virginia, Patterson cleared Morris’ shot off the line.

Beto’s shot was deflected wide by Burke but with the seconds running out Woodrow pounced.

Theo Bair scored against his former club as Motherwell hit back to draw 1-1 at St Johnstone.

Saints took an early lead when Ryan McGowan’s goal was allowed to stand, despite Andy Considine appearing to be in an offside position.

The Steelmen reacted well to falling behind and levelled just before the half-hour mark as Bair nodded in Blair Spittal’s cross.

Motherwell had the better of the chances in the second half but lacked the cutting edge required to earn their first away win since September.

Both sides have increased their lead over Ross County in 11th place to three points, with their advantage over basement boys Livingston now nine points.

St Johnstone made two changes to the side that drew with Aberdeen in midweek, Max Kucheriavyi and Benjamin Kimpioka coming in for Diallang Jaiyesimi and Sven Sprangler.

Stuart Kettlewell handed Andy Halliday his first start for the Steelmen, the midfielder replacing Adam Montgomery who suffered a hamstring injury in training that is set to rule him out for around three months.

The hosts opened the scoring after three minutes with the first meaningful attack of the match.

Kucheriavyi’s cross was steered home by McGowan and there was no offside flag, despite Liam Kelly’s view being hampered by Considine, who looked to be offside.

The Motherwell players appealed in unison for offside and Kelly was shown a yellow card for his reaction in the aftermath, with the goal given following a lengthy VAR check.

Georgie Gent sliced an effort wide as Motherwell looked for an instant reply and the full-back was involved again when he fired a tantalising ball across the face of goal that narrowly evaded Stephen O’Donnell.

It took a fantastic stop from Dimitar Mitov to keep out Bair’s close-range effort, but the former Saints striker was not to be denied.

Spittal sent over an inch-perfect delivery and Bair’s glancing header went in off the inside of a post.

Saints were dealt a blow when Liam Gordon hobbled off with 10 minutes remaining in the first half, the Saints skipper being replaced by Jaiyesimi.

Kimpioka came close to restoring St Johnstone’s lead when he raced on to Dan Phillips’ defence splitting pass and lifted the ball over Kelly, but the effort drifted behind for a goal-kick.

There were chances at either end as the second half began at a frantic pace.

Kimpioka worked Kelly after being released by Matt Smith and Spittal failed to make proper contact with O’Donnell’s low cross a few minutes later.

Jaiyesimi should have done better when he met Graham Carey’s cross on the hour mark but sent his header wide of the target.

Motherwell were looking threatening on the counter-attack and Gent fired over the top before Harry Paton skewed wide after a well-worked passing move.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and Mitov gathered Spittal’s free-kick at the second time of asking before Kettlewell introduced new signing Sam Nicholson for the final nine minutes as he sought a winner.

The substitute made an impact almost immediately when he split the home defence with a superb pass with the outside of his foot and Paton burst past Mitov, only to be let down by a heavy touch.

The hosts had rarely threatened in the second half, but they could have clinched victory in the final minutes as Jaiyesimi got on the end of Smith’s cross. However, he could only a muster a weak header into the grateful arms of the Well keeper.

Michael Mellon capped a fine debut for Dundee with a goal and two assists in a 4-1 cinch Premiership victory over Livingston.

The Dark Blues were already leading through Amadou Bakayoko’s first-half strike when then the striker replaced Scott Tiffoney just after the hour mark.

The on-loan Burnley player then set up Luke McCowan, who was later sent off for two cautions, and Zach Robinson either side of Tete Yengi’s penalty.

Mellon then lashed home a fourth in the dying stages.

The victory moved Dundee some 13 points clear of basement team Livingston, who missed a first-half penalty through Andrew Shinnie.

Dundee – who threw away a two-goal lead in the midweek loss at Hearts – settled well and got their foot on the ball.

Livingston looked dangerous on the counter and should have done better from a break in the 15th minute led by Jason Holt.

The midfielder tried to send Steven Bradley clear but his pass was cut out by Finlay Robertson.

Dundee then stormed ahead in the 19th minute with a helping hand from Livingston defender James Penrice.

McCowan crossed from the left and Penrice’s attempted clearance landed at the feet of Bakayoko, who lashed a first-time shot past Michael McGovern.

Livingston had a great chance to level five minutes before the break after referee Ross Hardie pointed to the penalty spot following a VAR intervention.

McCowan brought down Holt on the edge of the box and Hardie initially awarded a free-kick.

But VAR got involved and decided the incident took place inside the area.

Shinnie, who also missed from 12 yards last week, stepped up but had his powerful drive stopped by Harry Sharp.

Dan Mackay fired wide from distance after the break before coming within inches of levelling just before the hour mark.

Penrice fired a low delivery across the six-yard box but Mackay was just out of reach.

Dundee then doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when McCowan swept home a left-footed shot from close range after being fed by debutant Mellon

But McCowan was then shown his second yellow card in the 74th minute after tripping Tete Yengi.

It got even better for the hosts in the 78th minute when Yengi scored a penalty after Joel Nouble was brought down by Owen Dodgson.

But within a minute Dundee regained their two-goal lead. Mellon got to the ball ahead of stranded Livingston goalkeeper Michael McGovern and his pass back into the area was poked in by Robinson.

Mellon then capped an impressive debut by firing in a low shot from 20 yards that found the bottom corner.

The far-side assistant referee flagged for offside but following a lengthy delay the goal was given.

Harry Fry was left pondering where to head at the Cheltenham Festival having seen his hugely-talented Gidleigh Park remain unbeaten in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Hurdle.

The strapping six-year-old went to Cheltenham for his Festival dress rehearsal with a perfect record of three from three, having backed up his wide-margin bumper success last term with two impressive displays over hurdles.

He was sent off the 5-6 favourite in the hands of Johnny Burke, but was made to pull out all the stops by Nicky Henderson’s 15-2 shot Lucky Place, prevailing by half a length in a tight finish.

Having scored over just shy of two miles and five furlongs, Fry now needs to decide whether Gidleigh Park remains at a similar distance for the Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle or steps up to three miles for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle – a race he has won in the past with Unowhatimeanharry (2016).

“It’s a Grade Two on Trials Day and we were stepping up in grade, so we knew he needed to step up,” said Fry.

“Talking with Johnny there, the race hasn’t been run to suit and it has turned into a bit of sprint for home, but he has got down and battled and got the job done on the day.

“It’s the first time he’s had to really battle and he will have learned again and be sharper for it. But he’s almost given us more questions than answers in terms of which race to run him in in March.

“They didn’t go fast and we have to go home and reflect, but he’s won and we can’t complain about that. That’s what it is all about, a win is a win and he’s done it in spite of things being run not quite to suit, so it’s onwards and upwards.

“Come March they will go a proper gallop and he’s come here, stayed unbeaten and the dream is still alive. We will go home, enjoy it and it’s a nice dilemma to have.

“Relieved is probably the overriding feeling right now and we’ve got six weeks to now work out what race we go for.”

Fry is no stranger to handling quality young stock and although unwilling to compare him to the likes of the aforementioned Unowhatimeanharry and ill-fated Neon Wolf, he believes his future lies over the larger obstacles where the patience of winning owners, the Eyre Family, will truly be rewarded.

Fry continued: “He’s done everything right so far and I don’t like comparing horses, so we will just let him be Gidleigh Park. He will tell us how good he is on the racecourse.

“He’s a big, tall individual who was quite raw to begin with. In the outside school when we started, he could barely get round the bend and just in terms of giving him time, I’m delighted for the Eyre Family and it is their first winner here at Cheltenham.

“They have been patient and allowed us to take our time and ultimately he is a chaser, so what he is doing over hurdles is a bonus.”

Adam Randell’s second-half equaliser earned Plymouth an FA Cup fourth-round replay after they held Leeds to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road.

The Plymouth midfielder converted a rare chance for his side in the 73rd minute after Jaidon Anthony’s superb solo effort had put Leeds in front at half-time.

Leeds extended their unbeaten home record to 17 games in all competitions, but saw their five-game winning run halted.

Plymouth – 15th in the Championship – are still searching for their first win on the road this season, but are now unbeaten in four games under manager Ian Foster.

The visitors threatened first when 16-goal striker Morgan Whittaker bundled Mickel Miller’s left-wing cross over the crossbar before Leeds hit the woodwork twice in quick succession.

Anthony’s angled shot from inside the box struck a post and Willy Gnonto’s follow up effort was pushed on to the crossbar by Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard.

Further efforts from Joel Piroe and Ethan Ampadu were held by Hazard as Leeds laid siege on the visitors’ goal.

But it took a moment of individual brilliance from Anthony to break the deadlock in the 31st minute as he cut inside from the left and beat three defenders before arrowing a right-footed shot inside the far post.

The on-loan Bournemouth winger celebrated by paying tribute to his mum Donna, who died last week, by lifting his shirt to reveal the words ‘Rest in Perfect Peace Mum’ on his vest, for which he was booked.

Randell had a rare attempt on goal for Plymouth at the start of the second half, which was blocked and for all Leeds’ dominance it took Sam Byram’s headed goal-line clearance to keep his side in front.

Joe Rodon toe-poked the ball away from Plymouth striker Ryan Hardie and as it looped towards goal, while Byram averted the danger.

Plymouth defender Ashley Phillips thwarted Willy Gnonto in the box as Leeds pressed for a second goal, but they were pegged back by the visitors in the 73rd minute.

Substitute Mustapha Bundu picked out Randell with a fine pass into the area and the latter’s excellent first touch enabled him to fire home under Illan Meslier.

Anthony’s curling effort was held by Hazard as Leeds looked to respond and substitute Patrick Bamford’s first touch – a header from Anthony’s corner – superbly saved by Hazard.

The Argyle keeper thwarted Leeds again when saving Ilia Gruev’s 20-yard shot and Piroe volleyed an effort over the crossbar.

Bamford went agonisingly close to a stoppage-time winner when hooking fellow substitute Junior Firpo’s deflected cross inches wide, but Leeds must now head to Home Park for a replay.

Paddy Brennan is set to serve a 10-day suspension after easing down and losing second place aboard Young Buster in the concluding race at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Fergal O’Brien-trained eight-year-old was an 11-4 favourite to stretch his unbeaten record over fences to four in the SBK Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase and cut out much of the running before being headed by eventual winner Egbert on the run to the final fence.

After seemingly accepting defeat on the run-in, Brennan stopped riding in the closing stages and it ultimately proved costly as the fast-finishing Snipe nipped up his inside on the approach to the line and got up to claim second spot by a head.

The stewards deemed Brennan had “appeared to drop his hands and stop riding shortly before the winning post” and “failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to obtain the best possible placing on a horse that would have finished second”.

Brennan will be suspended from February 10 to 19 inclusive, ruling him out of Newbury’s Super Saturday meeting plus high-profile cards at Ascot and Haydock.

The jockey is set to be in action at Doncaster again on Sunday, where his rides include leading Cheltenham Festival contender Dysart Enos in the opening Download The At The Races App Novices’ Hurdle.

Jade De Grugy added to a successful Saturday afternoon for Willie Mullins as she led home a one-two for the trainer in the SBK Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The Closutton maestro enjoyed a sterling few hours in Britain, with Capodanno landing the Cotswold Chase and Lossiemouth making an impressive seasonal bow in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham, while at Doncaster Ashroe Diamond ran out an comfortable Grade Two winner.

Jade De Grugy highlighted Mullins’ strength in the mares’ division as she obliged as an 8-13 favourite in this Grade Three affair.

One of four for the trainer in a seven-runner field, Jade De Grugy won a French bumper before joining Mullins and made an impressive start for the team when registering a 15-length maiden hurdle win at Leopardstown last month.

Stepping up in class, she showed a fine change of gear for Brian Hayes to coast home a six-and-a-half-length winner from A Penny A Hundred, with the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham a possible target.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: “She was very impressive. She did things right all the way, she jumps brilliant. She travelled and quickened up in the straight. Brian was very happy with her.

“She’s a very sensible mare and always did everything right, we’re delighted with her.

“She has the race at Cheltenham and the Grade One back here obviously. There is a short gap between them but I’d imagine they will be the two targets.

“She was very good in Leopardstown and obviously very good again today.”

Western Diego (11-8 favourite) was also a winner for Mullins and Hayes in the SBK Maiden Hurdle while Argento Boy (evens favourite) made it a hat-trick on the card for the handler in the SBK (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, with Jody Townend aboard.

Jade De Grugy added to a successful Saturday afternoon for Willie Mullins as she led home a one-two for the trainer in the SBK Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

The Closutton maestro enjoyed a sterling few hours in Britain, with Capodanno landing the Cotswold Chase and Lossiemouth making an impressive seasonal bow in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham, while at Doncaster Ashroe Diamond ran out an comfortable Grade Two winner.

Jade De Grugy highlighted Mullins’ strength in the mares’ division as she obliged as an 8-13 favourite in this Grade Three affair.

One of four for the trainer in a seven-runner field, Jade De Grugy won a French bumper before joining Mullins and made an impressive start for the team when registering a 15-length maiden hurdle win at Leopardstown last month.

Stepping up in class, she showed a fine change of gear for Brian Hayes to coast home a six-and-a-half-length winner from A Penny A Hundred, with the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham a possible target.

Assistant trainer David Casey said: “She was very impressive. She did things right all the way, she jumps brilliant. She travelled and quickened up in the straight. Brian was very happy with her.

“She’s a very sensible mare and always did everything right, we’re delighted with her.

“She has the race at Cheltenham and the Grade One back here obviously. There is a short gap between them but I’d imagine they will be the two targets.

“She was very good in Leopardstown and obviously very good again today.”

Western Diego (11-8 favourite) was also a winner for Mullins and Hayes in the SBK Maiden Hurdle while Argento Boy (evens favourite) made it a hat-trick on the card for the handler in the SBK (Pro/Am) INH Flat Race, with Jody Townend aboard.

Chris and Freddie Gordon combined for a memorable family success as the latter’s buccaneering ride aboard Annual Invictus paid off in a pulsating renewal of the SBK Great Yorkshire Chase.

A quality field of 18 runners went to post for the prestigious Doncaster handicap, with Annual Invictus a 16-1 shot under his 18-year-old rider.

The 5lb claimer took the bull by the horns from the off, sending his mount into the lead from flag-fall and setting a gallop that saw many of his rivals struggling a long way from home.

Annual Invictus led those still in contention into the home straight and looked in command until Ben Godfrey arrived late on the scene aboard recent course-and-distance scorer Forward Plan.

It looked for all the world as though Godfrey had timed his challenge perfectly and supporters of Annual Invictus were set for a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat, but the Gordon runner had other ideas and roared back once challenge to ensure the pair passed the line almost as one.

Following a brief wait, the judge confirmed Annual Invictus had won the day by a nose, with Charlie Uberalles best of the rest in third.

“That was brilliant, I’m thrilled for everyone including the owner Tom (Smith), who is my farrier,” said the winning trainer.

“He’s happier out in front and it’s not very often you can get a soft lead like that. He’s not the quickest horse in the world but he carries on a good gallop.

“I thought the other horse had got us but we scrapped back. It’s lovely and it looks like we’ve turned the corner in the yard.

“It’s very special with my son on board. He’s a conditional with Nicky Henderson and he’s loving it down there.

“My plan was to get him in the Grand National, so I’d like to see him go up. But there are some wonderful staying chases, he stays well and gallops and goes on top of the ground.”

Freddie Gordon said: “That was amazing. My old man said to try to just pop out and go on your own. So I thought I’d go out there and do it.

“When the other horse came to me, I was just hoping he had a bit left in the tank and I think he kept his head in front the whole time. As soon as he gets a bit of company he keeps going, it gives him a bit more encouragement.

“It’s some day. It’s lovely to do it for my dad. I’ll thank him when I get home later, we’ll have a nice dinner together.”

Godfrey was disappointed to beaten aboard Forward Plan, but not with his partner’s performance.

He said: “My lad has lost nothing in defeat and has ran a cracker.

“I thought the other horse was going to drop back, I was staying on and was trying to save every bit I could. I thought I’d got my head in front and thought I’d got my timings bang-on, but the other horse has battled back hard and just got up on the line.

“My lad has lost nothing in defeat, but seconds don’t quite count as winners, do they? He’s in the form of his life and he’s a very fun horse to go to war with in these type of races.”

Grand National winner Noble Yeats denied Paisley Park a fourth victory in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle in a rousing finish at Cheltenham.

Trainer Emmet Mullins has proven time and again he is prepared to think outside the box and the 2022 Aintree hero was having just his third run over hurdles in this contest.

With regular jockey Sean Bowen currently on the sidelines, Harry Cobden stepped in for the ride and he looked to be going nowhere with half a mile to go as Dashel Drasher, Champ and Botox Has tried to run the finish out of the others.

The complexion of the race changed at the last though, as Noble Yeats (3-1), Paisley Park and Strong Leader, who was nearly detached at one point, came back into contention.

Noble Yeats found a few lengths after the last but Paisley Park was staying on relentlessly having been outpaced turning in.

However, despite the popular veteran’s best efforts, the line just came too soon and he went down by a head.

Lossiemouth proved in a different league to her rivals as she made a faultless return in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Winner of the Triumph Hurdle last March, she was having her first run of the season as trainer Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci made the decision to focus on a spring campaign at five.

Five-year-olds can struggle in their first full campaign and the travails of Vauban, himself a Triumph Hurdle winner, the season after means connections have opted for a different approach this time.

Lossiemouth was taking on Love Envoi, who made Honeysuckle pull out all the stops in last year’s Mares’ Hurdle and Rubaud, a Grade Two winner in his own right, but they were left toiling.

Lossiemouth (4-7 favourite) travelled stylishly through the race and once given the signal by Townend, she sprinted almost 10 lengths clear of Love Envoi after the last.

She is now the 4-6 favourite with Coral for the Mares’ Hurdle and Townend said: “It was a pleasure to ride and very straightforward, she was very slick and accurate.

“When I eventually let her off, she just shot off, she’s a beauty.

“She’s done very well and the plan they made to keep her until now was definitely worth the wait today.

“She will be competitive wherever she goes (at Cheltenham) and she’s high-class. She’s physically and mentally matured (from last season) and she was a fair sort as a juvenile too, so she didn’t have to improve and awful lot.

“She couldn’t do more than that today and was impressive.”

Ricci admitted to some nerves before the race, but feels the decision to make a delayed return was justified.

He said: “She’s a very good filly and we’ve always thought the world of her.

“I was 100 per cent nervous coming here today and we took the decision based on Vauban last year, not to enter her until after the new year. Just give her plenty of time to come back.

“Originally we weren’t keen on travelling her and then we thought we would. She was entered everywhere and we decided to come here and it’s paid dividends. She’s a very nice filly to look forward to.

“They tell me she has been bombing at home, so I expected her to run well today and she did.”

While Lossiemouth is entered for the Champion Hurdle at the Festival, Ricci would be favouring the Mares’ Hurdle rather than a clash with Constitution Hill.

He explained: “We’ll go for the Mares’ Hurdle I think and I think we learned last year that these four-year-olds turning five, it is very hard to run in open company.

“She has an entry in the Champion Hurdle, which I think she will probably keep, but my guess would be we would go for the Mares’, then the Annie Power at Punchestown and maybe something in France. Maybe next year she will be a Champion Hurdle type, but we will see.

“Constitution Hill is a monster and I’m not running away from it, but she’s a great filly and you just want to mind her and see how she goes, she’s a baby!

“I’ve never ran away from a fight, but we need to do what is in line with her abilities and she is young and she is coming, so we will just see see how she gets on.

“I haven’t had a winner on the first day (at the Festival) for a long time, wouldn’t that be great. We’ve got lots of hopes for her and fingers crossed it will be a good run with her.”

Ashroe Diamond showed her class to provide Willie Mullins with a third victory in the SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster.

The Closutton handler had sent two of his best ever mares to Town Moor to plunder this Grade Two prize in the last decade, with the brilliant Champion Hurdle heroine Annie Power triumphant in 2014 and Vroum Vroum Mag landing short odds three years later.

This time around Mullins fired a twin assault, with 7-4 shot Ashroe Diamond considered the second string by punters as her stablemate Gala Marceau was sent off the 10-11 favourite.

Both had shown their worth at Grade One level, with Gala Marceau beating another Mullins mare in Lossiemouth at Leopardstown last year before the tables were turned in the Triumph Hurdle, while Ashroe Diamond was placed behind top-class geldings Facile Vega and Marine Nationale before enjoying her day in the sun at Fairyhouse in the spring.

Crucially, Ashroe Diamond had already run this winter with a third-placed finish in the Hatton’s Grace, whereas Gala Marceau had been off the track since doubling her top-level tally at Auteuil in May.

It was clear earlier in the home straight the former was travelling the better in the hands of the trainer’s son Patrick Mullins and once given the office, Ashroe Diamond picked up smartly to put the race to bed and score by two and a half lengths from the staying-on Under Control.

“What more could you ask for? I think my mare’s form with Facile Vega and Marine Nationale is the best mares’ form out there,” said Mullins junior, riding his first ever winner at Doncaster.

“She has a high cruising speed and she settled great today, she’s normally quite keen and you have to get a bit of cover with her.

“She’s always a brilliant jumper and she can often run a bit keen, but she has form against top geldings last year and I always rate that above juvenile form – that’s a restricted division.”

Ashroe Diamond was widely cut for the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and Mullins views her as a leading candidate.

He added: “Her pedigree suggests she can go further, but it’s two and a half miles in the mares’ race in March and that will be no problem to her.

“We won’t know until Cheltenham but I’d love to ride her there.”