Patrick Mullins anticipating uphill Morgiana task for Lossiemouth

Patrick Mullins believes Lossiemouth faces a “huge step up in class” as she bids to topple her illustrious stablemate State Man in a fascinating clash for the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

While perhaps lacking the X-factor of Constitution Hill, State Man’s record since joining Willie Mullins is pretty extraordinary by anyone’s standards.

Since falling on his Irish debut at Leopardstown almost three years ago, the chestnut has won 12 of his 13 starts, including 10 Grade Ones – his only defeat during that period coming at the hands of Nicky Henderson’s superstar in the 2023 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Last season, State Man successfully defended the Morgiana, the Matheson Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle before making the most of Constitution Hill’s absence at Prestbury Park in March. He also won a second Punchestown Champion Hurdle in the spring just for good measure.

The seven-year-old will be a hot favourite to make it a Morgiana hat-trick on Saturday – but in a move that many will see as a surprise, Mullins has also declared another ace in his Closutton pack in the form of star mare Lossiemouth.

Another French recruit, who has been beaten only once in nine career starts overall, the grey is actually shorter in the betting for this season’s Champion Hurdle than State Man with most bookmakers, but Patrick Mullins – who will be aboard Lossiemouth on Saturday after Paul Townend stuck with the reigning champion – feels she has plenty on her plate to get to State Man’s level.

“It’s a hugely exciting ride, (but) it’s a big step up in class, a huge step up in class,” he said.

“State Man sets the standard and it will be very hard to get by him, but you don’t know until you try.

“The Morgiana time-wise is a fantastic race. It’s two miles, the ground should be very safe and it’s perfect timing for Christmas.”

When asked if the preparation of both horses had gone well, Mullins added: “One hundred per cent. With the weather, they’re maybe a little bit behind where they normally would be, but we always like our horses to come on for their first run anyway.

“Last year, Ballyburn, Fact To File and Dancing City all got beat first time out and Saturday is a starting point.”

Willie Mullins is responsible for five of the eight runners in all, with Daddy Long Legs (Michael O’Sullivan), Sir Gerhard (Danny Mullins) and Winter Fog (Sean O’Keeffe) also in the mix.

Of State Man, the champion trainer said: “He’s a real racehorse, he’s good and sound and turns up every day. I’m very happy to have him in the condition that he’s in.

“When you think of the amount of Grade Ones he’s won, he pitches up every day and gives his A-game every day. He’s good, solid and dependable – what more do you want in a racehorse?

“He’s never flashy and never does any more than he has to, so we don’t know how good he is.”

With Andrew Slattery’s Smooth Tom and the Oliver McKiernan-trained No Looking Back both outsiders, the only conceivable threat to the Mullins battalion is Gordon Elliott’s highly-regarded mare Brighterdaysahead.

The Cullentra handler raised the possibility of the five-year-old being aimed at the Champion Hurdle following her successful reappearance at Down Royal three weeks ago and her credentials will get a thorough examination this weekend.

“It’s kind of a bit of a fact-finding mission, to be honest,” Elliott told Racing TV.

“If I didn’t run her in the Morgiana, we’d either go for the Fighting Fifth or the Hatton’s Grace. Michael (O’Leary, of owners Gigginstown House Stud) is always keen to stay in Ireland and I’d rather keep her away from Teahupoo (in the Hatton’s Grace).

“We’ll probably learn an awful lot about her and after Saturday we’ll know what road we’re going. The Mares’ Hurdle looks like the race that’s made for her, but we’ll probably learn what our path is going to be to Cheltenham.”