Morgiana Hurdle Guide

This five year old for JP McManus signed off last season with two smart wins which saw him seeking a hat-trick on his seasonal return at Tipperary in September.

Having won at Tramore in a maiden hurdle he headed to Cheltenham for the Grade Three County Hurdle and was a superb winner under a great ride from Barry Geraghty.

This season Willie Mullins looks to be targeting him at the Champion Hurdle and in preparation he stepped him up into Grade Three company last time out.

The gelding landed the hat-trick in fine style and although stepping up to his first Grade One on Sunday he looks a likeable type.

Abacadabras for Gordon Elliott started his life over hurdles last season in great style showing clear pace in the final stages of his races.

Having landed a decent contest at Gowran on his seasonal debut last term, he then went on to take a Grade Three at Navan showing clear progression.

Although finishing second on his next start it saw him give his best performance to date when a narrow second to the superstar Envoi Allen in a Grade One at Fairyhouse.

He then headed to the Dublin Racing Festival and he landed his first Grade One of his career in the future Champions Novice Hurdle.

It was all systems go for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and he finished a narrow second to the smart Shishkin in a photo-finish, which looks incredible form.

Staying over hurdles this term he made his debut in the Grade Two WKD Hurdle at Down Royal and although only finishing second behind Aspire Tower, the run would have done him good and he should be fit for this event.

The 10 year old has been one of the female trainers stable stars over the last few years and after having 274 days off the track, last seen when finishing second to Buveur D'Air in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, he made a very pleasing comeback at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Supasundae during his career has landed three Grade One's and also is a Cheltenham festival winner in the Coral Cup back in March 2017, but now becoming a veteran will need to find a career best performance to land this.

The Ann and Alan Potts owned horse for the last few seasons has been aimed at the spring festivals, but now at the of 10 does not look the same horse and could struggle this term.

The son of Galileo although a course and distance winner at Punchestown started his career off last week in the grade Two Lismullen Hurdle

Coeur Sublime has now left Gordon Elliott and is now handled by Gearoid O'Loughlin who will be looking to get the best out of this talented five year old

He started his season off at Down Royal In the Grade Two WKD Hurdle last term, where he breezed to victory showing great travelling speed to never come off the bridle.

Off the back of that he went to Leopardstown and was below par compared to his seasonal debut when third in the Grade One Matheson Hurdle.

He headed into the Champion Hurdle where he was last seen finishing near the back of the field, only beating two home and he will need to put that behind him in this event.

The final runner of the event is the Henry De Bromhead trained Jason The Militant who was a fairly smart bumper horse that made a pleasing hurdles seasonal debut at Down Royal at the end of October.

Having won three times over hurdles last term, he stepped up to the Grade Two WKD Hurdle at Down Royal a few weeks back and was a close third behind stablemate Aspire Tower and Abaracadbras.

Although needing to come on for that run, the six year old should run another big race and can mix it with the best of these runners.