Sharjah jumps the last under Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
With the defection of both Samcro and Supasundae, plenty of the gloss was taken off the feature at Punchestown this afternoon, the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle.
The mighty Faugheen still remained in the depleted field of four, but he was surprisingly over turned by stable mate Sharjah
Having won the Galway Hurdle in August, the five-year-old son of Doctor Dino since disappointed on the level, before finishing third in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on his last start.
Sent off a 7/2 chance this afternoon (having opened on-course at 11/4), the bay victor was settled in third by Paul Townend.
He took closer order from three out, and came through to challenge the front-running Faugheen after the next, hitting the front before the last and stretching clear on the run-in to score easily by seven and a half lengths.
Faugheen (2/5fav) clearly doesn't have the pace he once possessed, and he trailed home in second under Ruby Walsh, with Tombstone ten lengths back in third.
Rich and Susanna Ricci own the first and second, and they were completing a quick double along with Willie Mullins, having combined to take the previous contest with Some Neck
Mullins said afterwards: "The other two (Faugheen and Tombstone) took each other on in front and maybe galloped each other into the ground. Paul took advantage of that.
"He (Sharjah) wants a sharp two miles. He's done a lot for the season and I don't know if I'm going to go on with him now or not. I may give him a little break and come back in the spring but after doing that today it looks like we'll have to go to Christmas with him.
"We'll see how he is when he comes out of this race. He's had no break between Flat racing and the Galway Hurdle and everything.
"Paul said he came alive going down the back stretch today, and he thought that far out that he had a great chance of winning.
"He disappointed in Down Royal the last day but he was taken on in front.
"Faugheen missed two or three hurdles. I would have expected him to find a bit more but he didn't. The two in front just collapsed.
"The decision is made to stay hurdling and I think we'll just go out in trip as we had intended. His first run was supposed to be the Hatton's Grace but when Melon didn’t work well enough we put this fella in. We've swapped targets for them."
Townend added: "I travelled well the whole way around. I had a gut feeling that Ruby was in a bit of trouble up the side, and I was still travelling well.
"Sharjah had fitness on his side, as he was running all summer and won the Galway Hurdle. It was straightforward and was a surprise.
"Looking back through last years novices he promised that a few days without actually going through with it.
"I think Faugheen can bounce back, I wouldn't right him off on that anyway."
STEWARDS REPORTS
The Stewards interviewed Gordon Elliott, trainer, in relation to the reason offered (ground) and the late withdrawal (12:46 pm) for his charge Samcro. Evidence was heard from the trainer concerned who stated that he had walked the track yesterday evening and again prior to racing today. He complimented the work that had gone into watering the track but reached his decision on the grounds that the going was quicker when racing down the hill and again when leaving the back straight. In his opinion the warm temperature today was causing the ground to dry and while he was very keen to run, he felt that the withdrawal of Samcro was in the horses best interests. He confirmed that Samcro was present at the track. In view of the reasons given, the Stewards accepted the explanation.
Owing to the low elevation of the sun, the Stewards granted permission for hurdles 4 & 5 to be omitted from this race
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
