Grade One Morgiana Hurdle Guide 2022

Jockey and trainer won this race last year with Sharjah so they will be hoping for another big run this campaign. He is not getting any younger, but has shown he is still enjoying his racing with the efforts he notched up last year.

The only concern would be that he has not been seen for 326 days, but if he is fit and ready to go then there is no reason as to why he cannot make it an eleventh career success.

Backed up last year’s Morgiana win with another Grade 1 in the Matheson Hurdle beating the talented gelding Zanahiyr by a neck that day.

No surprise to see his trainer play a strong looking card in this race and has to be fancied to make another success of the Morgiana Hurdle.

Could be the one to battle it out with stablemate State Man.

One of three for trainer Willie Mullins who looked at one stage recently that he would be running six of his horses yet only three have been declared including the 8 year old Saldier.

His most recent win came last year in a Grade 3 contest at Tipperary where he beat Darasso by 3 lengths.

He did not progress after that victory when stepping up to Grade 1 company and showed no real form when finishing sixth of seven last time out in a Grade 3.

He is an inconsistent horse and you are not really sure what Saldier will turn up, but cannot be totally ignored.

Remains with some ability, but best to keep an eye on trainers other two runners.

Noel Meade could have a decent weekend ahead of him at Punchestown, but Jesse Evans looks unlikely to give his trainer a winner in this race.

Won a Grade 3 over 2m at Tipperary on good ground and does not look like he will get the same conditions again here.

2020 was the last time he ran in a Grade 1 so he has it all to do being the outsider and would be one to easily dismiss.

Trainer Willie Mullins’ third horse in the race and one who may be very hard to beat if on song.

State Man is highly regarded as one of Willie’s most exciting young horses and the 5 year old has certainly shown reasons as to why that is the case.

He came over from France and was very unlucky not to win on debut for the yard after falling 2 out when a close third.

He since made it 3-3 after a nice victory at the Cheltenham Festival before backing that performance up at over this course when winning the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle beating Flame Bearer by 7 lengths.

Has an entry in the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and remains with much potential so should be one to impress yet again and he may have a future over fences too.

The worthy favourite and the one to beat. A very, very exciting horse for Willie Mullins and connections.

Teahupoo is a very solid horse in Grade 2 company, but he will be hoping that one day he can achieve a Grade 1 success.

This could be a good chance for him, but with Willie Mullins having such a strong hand with his runners it looks a fairly tough ask.

I suppose you could draw a line through his last two runs because they involved the unbeaten Honeysuckle and other top hurdlers.

This is not such a hotly contested affair, but he will probably find one or two a bit too good for him on this occasion.

Cannot ignore any horse from Gordon Elliot’s yard in this sort of race, but he may be winning weaker contests in the future back down in Grade 3/Grade 2 company.