State Man bidding for Morgiana hat-trick – with Lossiemouth out

With stablemate Lossiemouth a significant non-runner, State Man will be cramped odds to claim a third victory in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

While perhaps lacking the X-factor of Constitution Hill, State Man’s record since joining Willie Mullins is pretty extraordinary by anyone’s standards.

Since falling on his Irish debut at Leopardstown almost three years ago, the chestnut has won 12 of his 13 starts, including 10 Grade Ones – his only defeat during that period coming at the hands of Nicky Henderson’s superstar in the 2023 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Last season, State Man successfully defended the Morgiana, the Matheson Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle before making the most of Constitution Hill’s absence at Prestbury Park in March. He also won a second Punchestown Champion Hurdle in the spring just for good measure.

The seven-year-old was set to face another ace from within the Closutton pack in the form of star mare Lossiemouth this weekend, but the latter was taken out on Saturday morning due to a stone bruise, making State Man’s task a little more straightforward.

Of State Man, Mullins said: “He’s a real racehorse, he’s good and sound and turns up every day. I’m very happy to have him in the condition that he’s in.

“When you think of the amount of Grade Ones he’s won, he pitches up every day and gives his A-game every day. He’s good, solid and dependable – what more do you want in a racehorse?

“He’s never flashy and never does any more than he has to, so we don’t know how good he is.”

Even in Lossiemouth’s absence, the champion trainer is set to saddle four of the seven remaining runners, with Daddy Long Legs (Michael O’Sullivan), Sir Gerhard (Danny Mullins) and Winter Fog (Sean O’Keeffe) also in the mix.

With Andrew Slattery’s Smooth Tom and the Oliver McKiernan-trained No Looking Back both outsiders, the only conceivable threat to the Mullins battalion is Gordon Elliott’s highly-regarded mare Brighterdaysahead

The Cullentra handler raised the possibility of the five-year-old being aimed at the Champion Hurdle following her successful reappearance at Down Royal three weeks ago and her credentials will get a thorough examination this weekend.

“It’s kind of a bit of a fact-finding mission, to be honest,” Elliott told Racing TV.

“If I didn’t run her in the Morgiana, we’d either go for the Fighting Fifth or the Hatton’s Grace. Michael (O’Leary, of owners Gigginstown House Stud) is always keen to stay in Ireland and I’d rather keep her away from Teahupoo (in the Hatton’s Grace).

“We’ll probably learn an awful lot about her and after Saturday we’ll know what road we’re going. The Mares’ Hurdle looks like the race that’s made for her, but we’ll probably learn what our path is going to be to Cheltenham.”