State Man seeks successive victories in the Morgiana as he gears up for another campaign of domestic domination

The Willie Mullins-trained State Man will face three rivals in his bid to defend the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown after landing last season's race in cosy fashion prior to embarking on a season of domestic dominance on his side of the pond.

The six-year-old put in a polished performance when defeating stablemate Sharjah by four lengths 12 months ago and a similarly impressive display followed at Leopardstown in the Matheson Hurdle before he claimed the scalp of Honeysuckle in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

That performance marked him out as a considerable danger to Constitution Hill at Cheltenham but the Nicky Henderson-trained star swatted him away with the minimum of fuss, gliding nine lengths clear of him up the hill. However, it's difficult to gauge whether State Man was at the peak of his powers that day and he regained the winning trail by disposing of Vauban at Punchestown six weeks later, becoming the first horse since Hurricane Fly to complete a clean sweep of all four of the open Grade 1 2m hurdles in Ireland.

State Man: won four Grade 1 races last seasonCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

It's hard to foresee any horse emerging from the woodwork to topple him in domestic contests this side of Cheltenham given he is unlikely to take on stablemate Impaire Et Passe before then and he will be a long odds-on shot to get his season off to a perfect start here.

Champion jockey Paul Townend has partnered him to five Grade 1 victories and a Cheltenham Festival success, courtesy of an electric performance in the 2022 County Hurdle as a novice, and he is naturally excited to get back up on the son of Doctor Dino.

Townend said: "He had a brilliant campaign last season bar Cheltenham and I suppose he's the standard-bearer on this side of the pond at the moment. It's exciting to get him out as he's a horse I like a lot – I'm always excited when I get the leg up on him.

"I thought he underperformed at Cheltenham although whether he would have beaten Constitution Hill or not is a fair stretch. He underperformed a little bit through his form with Vauban, and in his win when he went back to Punchestown, but maybe he was just finding it hard work following Constitution Hill."

Willie Mullins' Closutton yard is getting into full swing this weekend and he has monopolised this contest, winning it 11 times in the last 12 years with some of his brightest stars such as Hurricane Fly, Faugheen and Nichols Canyon. He will also saddle Echoes In Rain, who put in a stylish display in the Grade 1 Mares Champion Hurdle at this track when last seen over hurdles, scampering nine and a half lengths clear of Anna Bunina without Townend barely moving a muscle.

She has performed with credit on the Flat since, finishing a runner-up in Group 3 company on her latest start at the Curragh and is an admirably consistent mare at this level.

Gordon Elliott out for upset

Gordon Elliott halted Mullins' domination by landing this in 2020 with Abacadabras and he saddles two contenders. Hopes will be high that Pied Piper can make his fitness edge on State Man count after he ran a cracker to finish second in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket last month, just failing to reel in The Shunter by threequarters of a length.

The five-year-old has won two Grade 2s over hurdles and is desperately unlucky not to have a Grade 1 to his name given he was demoted to second at Aintree in his juvenile season when he was adjudged to have hampered Knight Salute. He was well held by State Man when they met at Punchestown but had run to a high level when a narrow second in the County Hurdle off a big weight prior to that.

Pied Piper: back over hurdles after Cesarewitch secondCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

His chances would be enhanced if the ground dried out and he seems the most likely contender to chase State Man home. Fils D'Oudairies has plenty to find but he has been in fine form of late, landing three out of his last four starts, most notably when defeating Sharjah in the Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary in July.

Elliott said: "Obviously Willie's [State Man] will be hard to beat, but Pied Piper is not an easy horse to place and he's had a good run on the Flat in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket so we'll give it a go.

"Fils D'Oudairies has had a great year already and won three of his last four. It won't be easy for him here, but he never lets us down."

Saturday previews:

1.23 Punchestown: Dual Stayers' Hurdle winner Flooring Porter's chasing credentials put to the test in high-class Florida Pearl at Punchestown 

1.30 Ascot: 'He's got a massive run in him' - battle of the champion trainers as Shishkin and Pic D'Orhy lock horns in 1965 Chase 

2.05 Ascot: Goshen 'in very good order' for Coral Hurdle repeat bid - analysis and quotes for £100,000 Grade 2 

2.20 Haydock: 'I'm really looking forward to running him for the first time over three miles' - can Crambo live up to the hype? 

3.00 Haydock: 'It's not an afterthought and he's improved massively' - Paul Nicholls on Betfair Chase favourite Bravemansgame 

3.15 Ascot: Tingle Creek entry Boothill bids for back-to-back wins in Ascot handicap chase belter 

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