Cheltenham Festival
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There's been a lot of debate on here as to which race at Cheltenham Annie Power should be running in, as well as which race she will end up in. Mullins tends to leave us guessing until the last minute, and I could be posing this question about Champagne Fever or Felix Yonger.
I thought it'd be interesting to find out what the general consensus is on here as to what race Annie Power should be running in. So, without taking heed of where you think Mullins may run her and ignoring any bets you may have had on her, if Annie Power was your horse, where would you run her?
Champion Hurdle,
Mares' Hurdle,
World Hurdle,
Don't run her at the Festival.
I'd vote Champion Hurdle. Race may be a classic, but I'd have to find out if she's good enough.
I thought it'd be interesting to find out what the general consensus is on here as to what race Annie Power should be running in. So, without taking heed of where you think Mullins may run her and ignoring any bets you may have had on her, if Annie Power was your horse, where would you run her?
Champion Hurdle,
Mares' Hurdle,
World Hurdle,
Don't run her at the Festival.
I'd vote Champion Hurdle. Race may be a classic, but I'd have to find out if she's good enough.
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I know there has been some pocket talking, but as far im aware the owner said she didn't go chasing as they are going the churdle route, townsend is a quite able deputy should ruby choose the fly
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Owner has also got Un De Sceaux (spelling!?)
Ruby rides the Fly, no brainer, would you as the owner of Un or Annie wanna run both against this top class field? Probably not, I think Annie swerves it for the World Hurdle and Townsend rides Un in the Champ. |
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I'd say you can't decide definitively unless you see her in the Irish Champion and until you see what the ground will be at Cheltenham. She'd definitely run if she were mine. Otherwise why come over for a sighter which proved she loves the course?
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how is it a no brainer walsh will do what is best for walsh.
also un de sceaux is not owned by ricci |
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I think she should run in the Whurdle, but if it were very soft on the Tuesday I would go for the CHurdle.
I would tell everyone as well!!!!!! |
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world hurdle for me , the race has no depth. big bucks cant possibly be as good can he ? The champion is looking the strongest for many a year and the mares imo would be no gimme as I think quvega is better at the moment.Plus walsh will not get off the fly or quvega so his availability must come into the equation.
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For me, in this order:
1. Champion Hurdle 2. World Hurdle 3. Mares Hurdle Ground is likely to be softest on the first day, owing to watering. If Annie Power really is a superstar, there is no reason to duck the best race, even without factoring in comparisons with Dawn Run (trained by WPM's father). World Hurdle may not be a pushover -- Nicholls has four or five potential runners, not just Big Buck's, including last year's runner-up Celestial Halo. (This also shows it is not just Mullins who has to juggle entries.) Since the OP asks us to imagine ourselves as the owner, I'd add that as the owner, I already have another runner for the World Hurdle -- Zaidpour, runner-up in the Neptune and who last month won the Grade One Christmas Hurdle over three miles, beating Rule The World who won a Grade 3 yesterday -- and do not have another Champion Hurdle contender. |
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World Hurdle
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I understand where you're coming from Eeternal, but if I had her running in the Irish Champion, I'd want her running in the Champion Hurdle too, unless she was beaten out of sight. I don't like messing around with horses distancewise too much, so if she got within 4-5 lengths of the winner at Leopardstown, I'd run her in the Champion. Looking at the betting for the Irish Champion, none of the bookies have priced her up, so I think we can be pretty sure she won't be running.
So far we have: Champion Hurdle 2 World Hurdle 4 Mares Hurdle 0 |
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If you don't like messing with distances then surely you have 1 vote in the mares column?
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Having said what I'd do I'll try and put myself in the owners position. She looks to have tremendous potential for chasing. Having not gone chasing this year I'd want a lot of bang for lack of that buck. The champion was the aim. The world hurdle despite some great winners lacks anything like the prestige of the champion. It's only a few years ago it was an add on race to the thrill of the final day. They've sought to turn it into a true championship race but the Thursday remains the poor imitation of the other three despite them adding a second grade 1 in the Ryanair. I wouldn't have wasted the opportunity to go chasing in order to target the Stayers and only partly because stayers hurdles don't tend to produce top class chasers.
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yeh if she were mine i would want the race with the most prestige and thats the churdle.
I think will be world hurdle tho |
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the champ hurdle with the mares allowance
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irish champ hurdle then if she wins champ if not world hurdle
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Gold Cup!!
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that's next year!!
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We're 5-5 now. Seems we could debate this subject all the way up to the the festival (or up to Leopardstown at least) without getting a clear cut decision. And second guessing Willie is even harder.
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it will go for the world hurdle,because quevega will attempt the 6 timer,the race has already been rescheduled for channel 4 viewing,mullins wont run her against the fly so that leaves only the stayers which will give her the best chance of victory if she stays.
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I'd say WH too although true to form you would expect WPM to leave the decision to the last minute, pondering the ground.
On G/S then it would be more logical for AP to have run over 2 1/2 miles on soft and heavy ground to then move up to 3 miles at the Festival. It would make less sense to go down in trip to 2 miles on G/S. On soft or heavy ground it might be different and make more sense to go for the CH but then that ground would bring UDS more into the equation. Fascinating. |
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World Hurdle
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All depends on BB on Saturday but I think there's even a chance she could miss the festival and go for the Aintree hurdle, Mullins really wants to win that race.
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World Hurdle far easier than Champion Hurdle, whatever happens to BB imo.
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I've mapped it out for her:
2014 Champion Hurdle (with mares allowance) and then the Aintree Hurdle over 2m4f as a 6yo 2015 All roads lead to the Arkle, taking in some Irish Grade 1 novice chases between 2m and 2m4f as a 7 yo. 2016 Stepped up in trip when we will see if she is a Gold Cup candidate as an 8 year old, when she should be at her peak. It's easy this game  |
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2016 Stepped up in trip when we will see if she is a Gold Cup candidate as an 8 year old, when she should be at her peak.
Can't see Mullins and Ricci wanting to pitch her in against there short priced fav. Champagne Fever in this  |
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2015 GC for CF surely??? espesh if he line up in the JLT come march....
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alleged
Yes but he'll be defending it in 2016  |
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Ricci said last week he wants to go for the Champion Hurdle and would have no problem with Townend on board.
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Entered in a 2 mile mares race at Donny on Sat
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And she is an intended runner as it stands, final decision on thurs mornin
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1 111-11 Annie Power24 6 11-5 165 148 172
2 211-12 Cockney Sparrow56 5 11-5 147 131 150 3 331-52 Doyly Carte63 6 11-5 140 120 150 4 131-60 L´Unique69 5 11-5 138 140 147 5 06-315 Alasi44 10 11-0 138 118 145 6 23-47P Alder Mairi29 7 11-0 120 98 141 7 4F312 Blue Buttons26 6 11-0 126 116 142 8 751212 Hopeand30 9 11-0 Adam Pogson 98 84 104 9 15-21 Koolala58 6 11-0 113 114 126 10 111-31 Legacy Gold46 6 11-0 — 119 143 11 3-5321 Pass The Time18F 5 11-0 123 94 129 |
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Interesting. If she runs in this then surely it has to be the Champion.
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Ireland's Champion Trainer did, however, confirm more immediate plans with Annie Power due to line up in the Grade Two OLBG.com Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday where she will face a maximum of 10 rivals. "We are hoping to come over for the OLBG.com Mares' Hurdle at Doncaster on Saturday, although a final decision won't be made until Thursday." |
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Pretty pointless race for determining what her festival target will be imo.
Yes, its 2m, but its against very inferior opposition (almost 20lbs), which she will win at ridiculously short odds, and will leave the same questions that we have now. Whatever race she runs in, this should put her spot on fitness wise though. |
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The Mares Hurdle as it is in all likelihood the only race she could win. Her form isn't good enough to win the better races. Be a real shame for Quevega to run against a decent rival for once.
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There is more chance of Annie Power going for a Champion Hurdle and World Hurdle double than run in the Mares Hurdle if Quevega lines up.
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I'm guessing this is Mullins' doing having been told by the owner that his preference is to go for the champion hurdle. Outside of that it would be something of a bizarre decision to send her to Doncaster. Conditions and field will be nothing like she'll meet in the champion. Presumably Mulllins is hoping that the flattish track doesn't help and he can then persuade the owner to go for the stayers.
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Wants to give her a run before Cheltenham and avoid Hurricane Fly
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I think she's Champion Hurdle bound, she'll go over fences next season so why try go for World Hurdle? Go for the big one.
I had backed her for World Hurdle on here and traded out at 6.25 avg price over the past 2 days. I can't see her winning the Champion Hurdle, I don't even fear her tbh in the Champion. But think, you have to run her there with the 7lb allowance. The World Hurdle isn't a real top class race, there is only 1 Champion Hurdle. Ricci is right to push for it. |
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Surely Mullins is as well to save one of Un De Sceaux or Annie Power for the Aintree Hurdle? It would seem an obvious target for the two of these.
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