Lossiemouth leading the way for Mullins in Morgiana

Lossiemouth and Irancy are Willie Mullins’ chosen representatives in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.

The master of Closutton has unsurprisingly dominated the Grade One contest in recent years, saddling 13 previous winners, including 12 of the last 14.

Mullins had a plethora of entries for this year’s renewal and with dual winner State Man ruled out for the season last week, the unbeaten Anzadam – like State Man owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly – moved to the head of ante-post lists for the Morgiana.

However, the five-year-old did not appear among the declarations on Thursday morning and it is instead star mare Lossiemouth who will go to post as a red-hot favourite in the hands of Paul Townend.

The six-time Grade One winner will be joined by stablemate Irancy, who won three of his five starts last season, including a top-level triumph over this course and distance at the Punchestown Festival in the spring. He now steps out of novice company for the first time under owner JP McManus’ retained rider Mark Walsh.

Gordon Elliott, who is the only other trainer in the last 14 years to win this race having struck gold with Abacadabras in 2020 and Brighterdaysahead 12 months ago, is represented by Ndaawi. He won the Galway Hurdle during the summer and was last seen finishing sixth in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket.

The small but select field is completed by David Harry Kelly’s recent course winner Glen Kiln, who carries the colours of the Bowe family made famous by hugely popular three-time Morgiana hero Limestone Lad and the superstar mare Solerina.