Cheltenham Festival
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Annie Power - which race would you pick?
Annie Power - which race would you pick?
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I get the feeling Un De Sceaux will be saved. The carrot is Annie goes Chasing and Fly gets proper old. So Mullins has UDS to focus on for the Champion Hurdle.
Of course this is just my opinion and a fair degree of speculation. As always it takes just one injury to change things. |
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Pure speculation of course but who knows...I think that Ivan Grozny could turn out to be a bit special therefore there's a slim chance that we have another Wylie v Ricci match up next year in the CH.
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Sorry.... UDS isn't Ricci's is he
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Would of thought AP was the right horse for the Aintree Hurdle as shes showing the form at that distance.
UDS looks a proper 2 miler. But that's looking at it logically!! |
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UDS looks as if the original aim was for Punchestown -- hence the low-key campaign (mainly) on right-handed courses.
If you hold the formbook at the right angle and squint a bit, Annie Power has roughly the same chance as Jezki in the Champion Hurdle, which is good enough to run imo. As CVByrne says, she will be going chasing next year anyway (and I guess that if that does not work out, she can always join the other failed chasers like Big Buck's in the 2015 World Hurdle). I do not suppose Willie Mullins will want to bottom them before Cheltenham (or Aintree or Punchestown) in any case, and at this stage he'll doubtless be trying to keep all options open for as long as possible. |
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Watch Zaidpour in today's Galmoy Hurdle (Grade 2, 3 miles) as this is the Ricci's World Hurdle horse imo.
Whether that will still be true at 20 past has yet to be seen. If he wins like a 2s on shot should, then ... |
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By 20 past it was apparent Zaidpour's wheels had come off in the mud.
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And Boston Bob has as much chance as Zaidpour has, if ground isn't heavy. So AP will in the WH.
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She'll run in the champion hurdle I reckon
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Its a tough one for them now. They have Hurricane Fly and another good chance in the CH and will be reluctant to run three.
In the World hurdle they will be wondering if Big Bucks is as good as ever. In the mares they won't really want to beat Quevega. Difficult. |
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"We had three real options where we could run her. We could have run her against Hurricane Fly and Jezki (in the Irish Champion Hurdle), we could have gone to England for a Champion Hurdle trial, or a mares' race in Doncaster worth £20,000 to the winner, so it was a fairly easy decision," he said.
Reckon that answers the question |
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Was just coming in here to post that exact quote BJ!!!
3 options all 2 miles says it all. If Big Bucks wins the Cleeve surely he's a 1/2 shot?? What else is there for him to face? |
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Just More Of That, Zarkandar and Celestial Halo. If Bucks wins on his comeback, he'll surely beat those though in my opinion.
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Is there a Champion Hurdle trial in England this weekend?
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no
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one at Sandown next Saturday
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MARES HURDLE
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But let's say BIg Bucks gets turned over tomorrow.
It depends on how and by whom of course but if AP breezes in at Donny then wouldn't the World Hurdle look tempting to WPM (and RR?) on the same basis that you generally look for the easiest option? |
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Mullins in tomorrow's RP saying we are reading too much into latest choice of race. He says all options for Cheltenham are open. Won't be rushed into decision.
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You missed the bit out BJG where he said the mares race could have been 2m or 2.5m and they still would have gone for it
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I'll be interested to see how Ruby rides her tomorrow. He won't want her looking impressive or the two mile dream remains open. So I think taking it up off the home bend and using her stamina to grind them into the ground coming home 20 lengths clear will be out of the question. He'll more likely produce her between the last two, win by a few lengths and get into the owners ear saying she didn't pick up quite as well as he thought she would and that she rode like a stayer.
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The thing that is baffling me most of all about this saga is why is Ruby passing up a couple of good rides at Cheltenham or Leopardstown to go and ride Annie Power who he wouldn't ride at the festival assuming she went Champion Hurdle?
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I'm thinking this too. It doesn't make any sense. I think WPM gets off on making things as confusing as possible for punters.
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What's confusing? Mullins runs one of his best horses? Stable jockey rides.
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ANNIE POWER'S return to two miles for the first time since February last year is no indication that the Champion Hurdle is her preferred Cheltenham target, trainer Willie Mullins has revealed.
The Willie Mullins-trained rising star will be sent off at short odds at Doncaster as she steps down in trip and bids to extend her unbeaten record to ten on her third consecutive start in Britain. Annie Power, trumpeted for the Stan James Champion Hurdle by Pricewise at 14-1 this month, holds other possible engagements at Cheltenham, including the OLBG Mares' Hurdle and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, and connections have yet to commit to a particular festival target. Mullins told the Racing Post: "I realise some people are reading a lot into the fact we're running her over a shorter distance and taking that as a pointer to what race Annie Power might go for at the festival. Believe me, we won't be rushing into any decisions." A best-priced 10-1 for the Champion Hurdle, Annie Power is a 6-1 shot for the David Nicholson and a general 7-2 for the World Hurdle. |
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Why is Ruby riding her? He wouldn't want some other jockey burning up the track on her and ruining his world hurdle plan would he?
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Theres some cynics about!!
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I await the race with interest. If he lets the brake off coming off the home bend I'll hold my hands up.
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If she was going for the CH, surely Ricci would want CH pilot up today? Which baring accidents tomorrow, wont be Ruby.
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Wow. Imagine that thing in a stamina sapping fast run race at Cheltenham. Thank god I haven't had a bet in the champion hurdle. I'd be writing letters to Mullins to get her in one of the other races.
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On the contrary. A number of horses need a strong pace to show their best. Connections of them will be hoping Annie Power runs and tries to make all. It's also the best way of getting the Fly beat imo.
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I don't think she'll lead and I don't think she needs to. My point was that this race today in no way represented the stamina sapping two miles of a champion with Ruby setting a steady enough pace. She routed them for speed today. Sat close up off a searing champion hurdle gallop I think she has an outstanding chance against what I think will be the best field I've seen. Getting the 7lbs I'd have her near enough favourite.
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Somebody on RP FB page is saying Walsh is actually retained by ricci - any truth in this? Can't see it myself
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Routed them but she was entitled to in such a weak race. She rabbit jumped the last ffs. She showed yet again what a strong galloper she is but we already knew that. Still think she'll end up in the world hurdle as today proved nothing with regard to her chances of winning the champion.
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The same Cockney Sparrow beaten into second by The Tent by 3 lengths in the fighting fifth was being scrubbed along going to two out and The Power never came out of second gear to win hard held. I'd say she proved plenty.
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To be fair MTOY'S gave it 7lbs and a 3length beating that could have been more on ground that CS would have appreciated far more than todays.....AP, would have been the only horse today that acted in that ground....it was a fully 14 secs slower than the FF, all be it on a different track and a half furlong further.
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A weak form argument IMO. The fact is AP hasn't run against a horse who will be in the champion hurdle, never mind one of the contenders. It's the annual Mullins farce and I don't think she'll run. The world hurdle will be on a plate for her.
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Think what race depended on Big Bucks reappearance and how Hurricane Fly goes tomorrow. Do we know she stays World Hurdle trip either?
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Love Ap but honestly feel BB defeat at Cheltenham today will have had more bearing on her festival target than the Donny race today.
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HF = champion hurdle
AP = Mares Quevega = World Hurdle imo |