William Munny pencilled in for Morgiana return

Barry Connell is already dreaming of a tilt at Champion Hurdle glory with William Munny, who is set to kick off his campaign at Punchestown next month.

The dual bumper winner filled the runner-up spot in his first two races over obstacles before making it third time lucky with a runaway success in Listed company at Punchestown in February.

That victory earned him a place in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March and he proved his class by finishing second behind the Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes.

“He’s good and he’s going for the Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown – we’re going down the Champion Hurdle route with him,” said Connell.

“He got very light at the end of last season. When he went to Cheltenham he was very light and we were kind of in two minds whether to run him or not as he was hard on himself early in the season – he was quite keen the first couple of times he ran – and then we had to run him a third time.

“He settled away in Punchestown on his third run. He was just a bit novicey early on, but when he got a properly-run race in the Supreme he settled lovely and jumped great and I think that will be the same in those championship two-mile races.

“He’s put on all the condition that he lost, physically he’s very well and I’m very happy with him.”

William Munny is a 14-1 shot for the Champion Hurdle with Paddy Power, who make Dan Skelton’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner The New Lion their 7-2 favourite.

Previous champions Constitution Hill, State Man and Golden Ace are others in the mix and Connell feels his charge deserves to be in the conversation at this stage.

He added: “I think he’s only rated 3lb below The New Lion on official ratings and I don’t think there was much between the two novice races at Cheltenham.

“There’s two Grade One winners come out of the Supreme subsequently, so I think he’s an ideal candidate for it (Champion Hurdle).”