State Man puts his case in Morgiana Hurdle cruise

Upwardly-mobile five-year-old untroubled in Punchestown feature.

State Man did all that what was asked of him as he reappeared with a straightforward victory in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old landed a gamble in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and signed off his campaign by winning a Grade One at Punchestown.

One of three runners for the champion trainer in the Shishkin colours of owner Joe Donnelly, he was sent off the 4-9 favourite to make a winning reappearance under Paul Townend – and the result never really looked in any doubt.

It was stablemate Sharjah who eventually chased him home, beaten four lengths, although Patrick Mullins had been hard at work from some way out before eventually staying on to go by Saldier.

Seen as the leading threat to Constitution Hill and Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle, Betfair and Paddy Power trimmed State Man into 6-1 from 8s for the Festival showpiece, but Coral were more impressed in going 4-1 from the same price.

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