Unibet Morgiana Hurdle (In Memory Of Michael Rafferty At AnaglogsDaughtr) (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 4m 4.07s

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Selected odds by:

Jesse Evans¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 147| D

25/1

Smart hurdler. 1 win from 3 runs this season. Rare poor run when nineteenth of 20 in handicap at Naas (16.1f, heavy, 11/2) 14 days ago. Switches to hurdles and the sort to bounce back.

Form: 9060-21

Saldier^b²⁷⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: D E Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 161| CD

25/1

2019 winner of this event but he's been off for 9 months since coming in a well-beaten sixth of 7 to Teahupoo in Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran. Needs to hit the ground running.

Form: 8/115P6-

Sharjah^t³²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 162| CD

5/2

High-class hurdler who bagged his second success in this event 12 months ago. Landed Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown (16f, good to soft, 5/6) by neck from Zanahiyr 10 months and not taken lightly despite his absence.

Form: 1322/11-

State Man²⁰⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 159| C| D

4/9

Quickly made up into a very smart hurdler last term, following up his County Hurdles success at Cheltenham with win in Champion Novices' Hurdle here (19.4f) by 7 lengths from Flame Bearer. Has plenty more to offer this season and a most interesting prospect.

Form: 2/F111-

Non-Runners

Teahupoo²⁰⁵

Weight: 11-12| Age: 5

T: G Elliott J: Jack Kennedy

Forecasts

State Man (4/9), Sharjah (5/2), Teahupoo (11/2), Saldier (25/1), Jesse Evans (25/1)

Willie Mullins has farmed this Grade 1 event in recent years and his highly exciting and fast improving STATE MAN is fancied to announce himself at hurdling's top table by making a winning return here. Stable-companion Sharjah is already a dual scorer in this event so can't be taken lightly, with Teahupoo appealing as the pick of the remainder for minor honours.