Confidence in Annie Power if she runs in Champion Hurdle

Annie Power is the new favourite for the Stan James Champion Hurdle following a faultless return to action at Punchestown on what proved a dramatic afternoon with Cheltenham in mind.

Faugheen was an odds-on favourite across the board to claim back-to-back victories in the Champion Hurdle, having this season claimed stunning victories in both the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The eight-year-old gelding was a well-fancied favourite to retain his crown on day one of the festival, but trainer Willie Mullins said the Irish raider is struggling with a ligament problem. Yes, they’ll get their money back, but Faugheen seemed the only sure-fire guarantee of the week.

Mullins still dominates the race – he also trains 11-4 second favourite Arctic Fire, the 2015 runner-up, and 4-1 third favourite Nichols Canyon.

Then Annie Power justified an SP of 1/20 by pulverising her two rivals from the front under Ruby Walsh in a first-time hood at Punchestown. “We have a month to Cheltenham. and we can step up her work now”.

I don’t suppose Willie will be committing her to any particular race any time soon.

“We could get her supplemented”.

“It’s disappointing but looking at Gary Moore, I would feel more for someone like that because that’s their whole stable star, whereas we have other horses to keep us going”, Mullins mused. I haven’t spoken to the owner yet about anything like that, but it must be on the cards.

“You’d have to say she has as good a chance of winning a Champion Hurdle as any mare has for a good few years”. The balls are bouncing a bit differently today.

“She was a very good racemare and I was lucky to have a brief but very successful association with her”, said Dwyer, who won the Gold Cup on Forgive ‘N Forget in 1985.

Reading between the lines, Annie Power’s participation in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle over three miles is the least likely of the three options for her.

The 4-6 market leader still looked a little bit green when asked to go and win his race but he produced a neat jump at the last and quickly asserted, pulling six lengths clear of Double Scores.