Two of the greatest point-to-point graduates in recent years are set to clash in a much-anticipated renewal of the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.
Gordon Elliott’s Samcro, a debut four-year-old winner at Monksgrange for Colin Bowe, had made his seasonal reappearance as the ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle, however last season’s dual Grade 1 winner, had his colours lowered by Iain Jardine’s British raider, Bedrock, in the Grade 2 WKD Hurdle at Down Royal earlier this month.
Regular rider Jack Kennedy misses the ride aboard the chestnut gelding due to a suspension, and it is Davy Russell who comes in for the ride aboard the Gigginstown House Stud-owned six-year-old.
His trainer Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown’s Eddie O’Leary have both indicated that whilst he has been declared for the Grade 1 feature of Punchestown’s two-day meeting, his participation is very much dependent on the ground conditions being suitable.
As of Friday morning’s declaration deadline, officials at the Co. Kildare course were calling the ground as Good, Good to Yielding in places following 2mm of overnight rain with selective watering set to take place in order to maintain that.
Should the underfoot conditions prove to meet the satisfaction of Elliott and O’Leary, it would see Samcro clash with former Champion Hurdler Faugheen.
Willie Mullins’ 10-year-old is a former is out to defend his 2017 success in the race, with the Ballysteen four-year-old point-to-pointer, set to make his seasonal reappearance having ended last season with one of his best performance in some time, comfortably outgunning stablemates, Penhill and Shaneshill, to win the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle at the same venue in April.
