Unibet Morgiana Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 14:05 €100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 40y, Class 1  |
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1 Sharjah 6/4F
2
Zanahiyr 5/2
3
Echoes In Rain 7/4
3 ran NR: Abacadabras, Darasso
Distances: 3l, 12l Time: 4m 7.00s (slow by 21.00s)
A second victory in the @UnibetRacing Morgiana Hurdle for Sharjah who sprints home under Patrick Mullins for @WillieMullinsNH @punchestownrace pic.twitter.com/s61R4iLIAqhttps://t.co/RU4hkNg5LC via @RacingBetter
— RacingBetter (@RacingBetter) November 14, 2021
The field was whittled down to just three runners following the defections of Abacadabras and Darasso and it inevitably turned into a tactical affair, Davy Russell trying to set a pace out in front to suit his own mount, Zanahiyr.
However, Gordon Elliott's horse was tracked by the Willie Mullins-trained pair of Sharjah under Patrick Mullins and the Sean O'Keeffe-ridden mare Echoes In Rain, who proved easy in the market before the off and was sent off 7/4.
The latter was at the back of the trio throughout and could never really get into the contest, not helped by a clumsy mistake two flights from the finish, but Sharjah stalked the long-time leader all the way and barely put a foot wrong at his hurdles.
He took up the running on rising at the final flight and really quickened in good style on the yielding ground, swiftly putting three lengths between himself and Zanahiyr, one of last year's leading juveniles who simply had no response on the run-in.
It was an 11th career win in the Morgiana for Ireland's champion trainer Mullins, and a second for Sharjah, having emerged on top in 2018 as well.
Unibet Morgiana Hurdle
€100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 40y, Class 1
3 ran
Going: Good to Yielding, Yielding in places
1 Sharjah 8 11-12 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 6/4F
2 3 Zanahiyr 4 11-12 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 5/2
3 12 Echoes In Rain 5 11-5 W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe 7/4
NR 1 Abacadabras 7 11-12 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER
NR 2 Darasso 8 11-12 Joseph O'Brien NON RUNNER
