English/Ire
Lossiemouth handed Morgiana mission by Mullins
Willie Mullins star mare Lossiemouth will make her return to action this season when taking on just three rivals in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.
Unsurprisingly, Mullins has completely dominated the contest in recent seasons, claiming twelve of the last fourteen winners.
The Closutton maestro had a whole host of entries for this season's renewal but with State Man ruled out and the unbeaten Anzadam, who was market leader in the ante-post betting earlier in the week, not amongst the Thursday declarations, it will be Lossiemouth who heads the charge for team Mullins.
Owned by Rich Ricci, Lossiemouth will be sent off a short price in the hands of Paul Townend as she looks to make her first start since landing the Aintree Hurdle in April a winning one.
The six-time Grade 1 winning daughter of Great Pretender will spearhead a two-pronged attack from Mullins, who also saddles the talented Irancy. JP McManus' seven-year-old won two of his three starts last season having followed up a victory in Grade 2 company at Fairyhouse with a smooth success in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle over this very same course and distance.
In-form handler Gordon Elliott will be represented by this year's Galway Hurdle hero Ndaawi, who was last seen in action finishing sixth on the level in the Cesarewitch at Newmarket, while the David Harry Kelly-trained Glen Kiln will complete the quartet.
Check out the latest Singapore News