Faugheen ready for Morgiana assignment Willie Mullins expects his unbeaten Champion Hurdle hero Faugheen to be "spot on" for Sunday's StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown's Winter Festival. One of several superstars owned by the Ricci family, Faugheen carried all before him last season, extending his flawless record under Rules to 10 out of 10. While this has been his aim for some time, he could be joined by stablemates Nichols Canyon, himself a multiple Grade One winner, Wicklow Brave and Annie Power, although she is thought more likely to wait for the Hatton's Grace Hurdle. "Faugheen will run in the StanJames.com Morgiana at Punchestown next Sunday," said Mullins. "My horses were probably just a gallop short given the dry conditions of late, but they should be spot on come the Punchestown Winter Festival." Ruby Walsh is counting down the days until he can ride Faugheen in a race again. "Faugheen is improving all the time, he's fairly rock-solid and an easy horse to ride," said Walsh. "It's that exciting time of the year when the good horses start to reappear, so fingers crossed they'll run well and start winning with a bit of luck." One likely opponent is Henry de Bromhead's Identity Thief who has been supplemented after winning the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on his reappearance. Aidan O'Brien's Plinth, Tony Martin's Thomas Edison and Peter Fahey's Queen Alphabet complete a list of eight possibles.
