Willie Mullins' Champion Hurdle hope Echoes In Rain set for Morgiana return

Echoes In Rain leads a potentially four-strong assault on the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday for Willie Mullins, as the trainer seeks to capture the Grade 1 contest for an 11th time.

Winner of the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on her last start in April, Echoes In Rain could be joined by stablemates Saldier, Sharjah and Stormy Ireland in a race Mullins has won with Hurricane Fly, Faugheen and Nichols Canyon.

Owned by former England international cricketer-turned-breeder Craig Kieswetter, Echoes In Rain is the general 12-1 second favourite behind Honeysuckle for the Unibet Champion Hurdle and Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, says the five-year-old will be given every chance to fulfil those expectations.

Morgiana Hurdle entries (2.05 Punchestown, Sunday)

He said: “Echoes In Rain settles much better in her races now which is great. She’s probably a bit harder on herself at home just by being a younger horse so she could be a little fitter than some of the other ones starting off, so we’ll let her go all being well and find out where she fits in.

“It’s always hard stepping into open company from novices, but her performance at Fairyhouse was probably better than her Punchestown run so we’re going to give her every opportunity to be a Champion Hurdle mare.”

Sharjah and Saldier are former winners of the Morgiana Hurdle, while Stormy Ireland returned right back to form when rejoining Mullins from Paul Nicholls last season, cantering to victories at Grade 1 and Grade 2 level before finishing second in a 1m4½f maiden at Down Royal in June.

Sharjah: won the Morgiana Hurdle in 2018Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Assessing their prospects, Patrick Mullins said: “Sharjah is just one step off the very, very best. He’s a proper Grade 1 horse. He's won the Morgiana Hurdle before but he won it coming off winning the Galway Hurdle. He has a great record at Leopardstown at Christmas but he will run this weekend at Punchestown all being well and I’d expect a good performance, but he will probably improve for it.

“Stormy Ireland is one that her jumping makes her a better jumping mare than a Flat mare. Danny Mullins gets a great tune out of her. She can also go further as well so that is an option for her just like Saldier. She’s in great form.

“The ground doesn’t look like it will be a determining factor as none of them want it heavy and we don’t expect that. We’ll see their work later in the week and see how Willie wants to split them but Punchestown is an important date in our calendar.”

Nine of Mullins’ ten Morgiana Hurdle wins came in successive years between 2011-2019 before Abacadabras ended the sequence with a neck victory over the Mullins-trained Saint Roi last year. He first struck with Padashpan in 1993.

Abacadabras is one of two possible runners for Gordon Elliott, who has also entered Zanahiyr, while Lismullen Hurdle winner Darasso completes the seven entries.

The Morgiana Hurdle is not the only exciting race at Punchestown this weekend. The Grade 2 BetVictor Casino Novice Chase (12.38) on Saturday has attracted a strong potential field with Cape Gentleman among the ten entries, while Bob Olinger (12.00) is also entered for his chasing debut on the same card.

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