Sunday, 2.20pm at Punchestown sees the 2016 renewal of the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle, and the question of everyone's lips is surely "which of Willie Mullins' 7 entries (of the 11 still entered) will attempt to give him his 6th consecutive win in the race?" After the recently-retired Thousand Stars took the race in 2011, the Morgiana became the annual starting point for the great Hurricane Fly and he duly won the next 3 renewals. Faugheen and Nicholls Canyon, both still entered this time around, have taken the last 2 renewals. A lot will depend on how forward each horse is, but whichever of Annie Power, Faugheen, Nicholls Canyon, Sempre Medici, Simenon and Vroum Vroum Mag turn up could give us a clue to their ultimate targets this season. Scouring the media, it would appear the most likely of the Rich Ricci owned horses to start is Annie Power, with Faugheen making his seasonal debut in the Hatton's Grace over 2m4f at Fairyhouse on the 4th of December. Vroum Vroum Mag will be their "springer" as she is so versatile in terms of trip, ground and hurdles or fences. I suspect Graham Wylie will want Nicholls Canyon to run so we will likely see Paul Townend on him with Ruby on Annie Power, and maybe the JP McManus pair of Ivanovic Gorbatov and Jers Girl. Not sure on Apples Jade, who disappointed massively on seasonal debut. Is this going to be a walk in the park for Annie? Bookies go Annie Power 4/9 with a run, Faugheen 8/15 with a run and 9/2 Nicholls Canyon. The latter seems like a bloody good e/w bet to nothing at this stage, he must surely run into a place at least.
Not necessarily. Faugheen returned fat as a fool and got beat by Nicholls Canyon in this previously so they are prepared to have him on the easier side. All the noises have been Annie Power will be running for several weeks here in Ireland and she's fit and ready to go.
This sounds like a new Willie Mullins: http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/...mullins-planning-morgiana-raid-at-punchestown
Very surprised he hasn't entered a few in the Ascot Hurdle tbh if he's so worried about opportunities. He has won it before and apart from Yanworth's potential it contains a lesser field.Some of his might have to carry a penalty but it is still strange that he has decided to chuck all his eggs in the one basket and ignore this fixture. There is even that fixed brush race at Haydock on Saturday which is worth fair loot. (I haven't actually read theT&C's of that re entrance criteria but i'm sure a couple of his would qualify). Most unusual.
Great to see a trainer have the ability to turn out such a high quality number to contest a Grade 1. What a delight to be a horse trained by Willie Mullins.
Very suspicious of the almost off-hand manner in which Mullins describes why the Ricci trio are not running: "Faugheen has a bruised foot and it hasn't come right in time for him to run this weekend and we'll have to wait a bit longer before starting him off" "Annie Power worked moderately a couple of times during the week. She has worked disappointingly in the past but when she did it twice we decided there was no point in declaring her. We'll wait and see what sort of form she's in this coming week before making a plan for her first race of the season." "Vroum Vroum Mag was another possibility for and she did a fantastic piece of work during the week. But she didn't eat up after it and we thought it prudent to give the Morgiana a miss. She'll have plenty of options once we're happy with her." I realise everything will be geared around March with these great horses, but this does not bode well. If none of them make the Hatton's Grace I would be seriously worried.
Jer's Girl would have won if no fog was around, she hates the fog Smooth by Nicholls Canyon again wasn't it. Perhaps not beating too much but he won in a canter.
