Unibet Morgiana Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 4m 20.70s

Fils D'oudairies⁵⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 148| D

33/1

Smart hurdler. 3 wins from 5 runs this season. 9/2, didn't need to be at best when winning 3-runner Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Tipperary (16.2f, soft) 55 days ago by 99 lengths from Deo Bellator.

Form: 5-F1101

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Pied Piper^t⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 157| CD

12/1

Very smart hurdler. Course winner. Creditable second of 31 in Cesarewitch on Flat at Newmarket (18f, good to soft) 42 days ago. Should give his running back hurdling but a big career best will be needed to trouble State Man.

Form: 115426-

State Man²¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 166| CD

1/6

Couldn't live with Constitution Hill in last season's Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham but that's his only defeat in his last 8 starts, including this race last year. Will take all the beating.

Form: 1/11121-

Echoes In Rain^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Danny Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 153| CD

7/1

Smart hurdler, including a Grade 1 win at Punchstown in April. Arrives fit from Flat (6½ lengths second to Falcon Eight in 2m Curragh Group 3 20 days ago). Might be the one to follow her stablemate home.

Form: 52/F141-

Forecasts

State Man (1/6), Echoes In Rain (7/1), Pied Piper (12/1), Fils D'oudairies (33/1)

STATE MAN was comfortably the best 2m hurdler in Ireland last season and can provide Willie Mullins with a remarkable twelfth win in this since 2011. Stable-companion Echoes In Rain can follow him home.