State Man and Lossiemouth on Morgiana collision course as Ballyburn decision finally made - plus Betfair Chase final field confirmed
State Man and Lossiemouth are set for an exciting clash in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle (2.10) at Punchestown on Saturday.
Champion Hurdle winner State Man is bidding for a hat-trick in the Punchestown Grade 1 but this is his stiffest test yet in the €150,000 event. He has a perfect 5-5 course record.
Lossiemouth won the Mares' Hurdle in March and is set for a Champion Hurdle campaign this season. Paul Townend maintains the partnership with State Man and Patrick Mullins rides Lossiemouth, with Daddy Long Legs, Sir Gerhard and Winter Fog also declared.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead finished second in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but was successful at the top level at Aintree the following month and has race-fitness on side after a return win at Down Royal last month. She is one of three runners in the race not trained by Mullins.
Top novice hurdler Ballyburn had been entered in the Morgiana Hurdle but has been declared for the 2m3f beginners' chase (12.30) on the same card.
The six-year-old won Grade 1s at the Dublin Racing Festival, Cheltenham Festival and Punchestown festival last season and faces 12 rivals on his chasing debut.
Elliott is responsible for all three runners in the Boodles Florida Pearl Novice Chase (1.00), with Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story, Search For Glory and Rainbow Trail the only declarations.
Unibet Morgiana Hurdle confirmed runners and riders
- Daddy Long Legs Michael O'Sullivan
- No Looking Back Darragh O'Keeffe
- Sir Gerhard Danny Mullins
- Smooth Tom Cian Quirke
- State Man Paul Townend
- Winter Fog Sean O'Keeffe
- Brighterdaysahead Jack Kennedy
- Lossiemouth Patrick Mullins
Unibet Morgiana Hurdle (2.10 Punchestown, Saturday)
Paddy Power: 10-11 State Man, 2 Lossiemouth, 5 Brighterdaysahead, 16 Daddy Long Legs, 33 Sir Gerhard, Winter Fog, 66 Smooth Tom, 100 No Looking Back
Betfair Chase runners and riders: Grey Dawning declared for return
Turners Novices' Chase winner Grey Dawning faces eight rivals on his return in the Betfair Chase (3.05) at Haydock on Saturday.
The Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old missed entries in the Charlie Hall Chase and Colin Parker Memorial Chase in recent weeks due to dry ground but is set to take his chance in the first Grade 1 of the British season.
Haydock’s going description is good, good to soft in places but is expected to ease with the potential for more than 20mm of rain on raceday. Old Roan Chase winner Minella Drama was the only entry not to be declared.
Grey Dawning won the graduation chase on the Betfair Chase card last season and is Britain’s shortest-priced Cheltenham Gold Cup contender at 16-1.
Last year’s winner Royale Pagaille bids to boost his impressive course record, having recorded four victories and a second from five starts at Haydock, and Ahoy Senor heads the field on official ratings and has the benefit of a recent run when third in the Old Roan.
The Shark Hanlon-trained Hewick is reunited with Gavin Sheehan for the first time since their King George VI Chase success at Kempton in December.
Willie Mullins saddles his first runner in the race in Cotswold Chase winner Capodanno, whose owner JP McManus is also represented with Mares' Chase scorer Limerick Lace. Gold Tweet, a winner of the Cleeve Hurdle last year, runs for French trainer Gabriel Leenders.
The Charlie Hall Chase one-two The Real Whacker and Bravemansgame have been declared. The latter sports blinkers for the first time and is partnered by Sam Twiston-Davies, with champion jockey Harry Cobden riding at Ascot.
Cobden’s Ascot mounts include Pic D’Orhy, who seeks back-to-back wins in the CopyBet 1965 Chase (1.30), Blueking D’Oroux in the Howden Ascot Hurdle (2.45) and Kitty's Light in the Berkshire National (2.05). Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner Golden Ace is among Blueking D'Oroux's rivals.
Doyen Quest bids to follow up his victory at Cheltenham last Saturday in the £100,000 Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle (2.30) at Haydock. Skelton’s five-year-old carries a 5lb penalty and is 5lb well in.
Hillcrest has been declared for his first start since March 2022 on the undercard. The Henry Daly-trained nine-year-old runs in the Betfair Graduation Chase (1.50) and is ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. His rivals include Iroko and Trelawne.
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Betfair Chase confirmed runners and riders
- Ahoy Senor Derek Fox
- Bravemansgame Sam Twiston-Davies
- Capodanno Brian Hayes
- Gold Tweet Gabin Meunier
- Grey Dawning Harry Skelton
- Hewick Gavin Sheehan
- Royale Pagaille Charlie Deutsch
- The Real Whacker Brian Hughes
- Limerick Lace Keith Donoghue
Betfair Chase (3.05 Haydock, Saturday)
Betfair: 7-4 Grey Dawning, 9-2 Royale Pagaille, 5 Ahoy Senor, 9 Hewick, 10 Capodanno, 12 Limerick Lace 14 Bravemansgame, The Real Whacker, 20 Gold Tweet
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Betfair Chase 1-2-3 prediction
1 Capodanno
2 Royale Pagaille
3 Grey Dawning
By Stuart Redding, Weekender tipster
Capodanno made a successful raid at Cheltenham in January, when he finished strongly to beat The Real Whacker. A fourth in the Ryanair was another solid display over an insufficient trip and lesser subsequent efforts came in the Grand National and the Punchestown Gold Cup. Connections wouldn't have made the decision to supplement him if he wasn't working well. He can prove too good for Royale Pagaille.
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