Annie Power - my theory.

If i was the owner off ap, and as it is has a great chance in either the champion hurdle or world surely ud go for champ hurdle which is a much better race than the world.

I've been arguing that point ever since she beat Zarkandar first time up. My feeling has got stronger with each race to the extent that for me the case is now overwhelming. But we are already debating where she'll end up on several fronts. I thought it may be interesting to look at how and why Mullins has made a bit of a mess of her preparation and whether people agree that he has made a mess of it?

Highly speculative stuff, EO, bu tnot impossible apart from "not expecting her to demolish her rivals". At odds of 2/13?

If I was Rich Ricci Annie Power would be running in the Champion Hurdle without doubt, would you rather look back in 20/30 years and say you owned a champion hurdler or a world hurdler

I think they expected her to win but my point was I don't think they expected her to do it in the manner she did. She kicked an improving 140 rated mare off the track with Ruby not asking a question. Cockney Sparrow beaten 3 lengths by The Tent into second in the fighting fifth was being scrubbed along and going nowhere going to 2 out when she came down. Throw in the post race assertion that Ruby only got control of her going to the second last and I do think it will have come as something of a surprise just what a monster they have on their hands.

Exactly my point, world hurdle is the worst of the big 4 imo

By some way I'd say.

Same prize money as the Ryanair. There's three true championship races and Thursday consists of two support acts.

The World Hurdle is for slow horses who didn't take to chasing, look at the top of the market, most have come back to this sphere and I imagine the others have schooled unsuccessfully at home (AFC seeming to find the hurdles challenging enough this season). It's like winning the Europa league, best of the rest.
The Drever is one of my all time favourite horses by the way.

they are hardly slow even if they don,t take to chasing, what a strange comment....

Interesting thoughts Eeternaloptimist, and you may well be on the money with most of them.

One thing I wouldn't agree with is the 'mess of a prep' argument. I personally think it's a much-overhyped angle (prepping for big races) in most cases. I think it holds considerably more weight with novices and/or unusually soft/inexperienced horses; for example, I'd not want to be backing a novice chaser running in the RSA that had only had a couple of walks around an easy track in small fields.

However, with Annie Power, we have a mare that has run over 10 times, hurdles perfectly well enough, and knows what the game is about. When she had to battle against Zarkandar first time this year, Ruby showed her the whip and she had to fight and hurdle in a battle. She did that fine, so it wouldn't bother me that she hasn't run in a recognised Champion Hurdle Trial, if she were to line up in the big one on the Tuesday. I think if you're good enough, the prep won't matter. She's tough and very good. The only thing we don't know is if she's good enough to win this Champion Hurdle...

She was 1/6 at Donnie so the world and his wife thought she would hose in - not sure it really told us anything. Hoped he goes Champion to add some spice.

Stay away from Politics EO you have found your spiritual home here and you don't sound mad , go on son

I reckon she is odds on to pick up one of the mysterious Willie Mullins injuries and miss Cheltenham completely then go straight to Aintree and destroy everything over two and a half. Can Willie pull the wool over RR's eyes? He may not have to if RR keeps wearing those shades.

tonks

Just when I think I'm out. They drag me back in.

The only thing we don't know is if she's good enough to win this Champion Hurdle

Tom,
We can say the same for all of them!!

eeternaloptimist - i take it, your quite heavy on annie for the champ hurdle, fingers crossed you get a run, as your stance on the mare is admirable to say the least

for what it is worth, i hope she does run as think this has all the makings of a classic champ hurdle and she has been trained like a champion hurdle horse...i do tend to agree with tomdeane in regards her prep and on that front her prep has been perfectly satisfactory imo...but, similar to faugheen who i believe has been prepped perfectly for the albert bartlett, annie power has been prepped like a champion hurdle horse

i will say one thing though as much as the world hurdle looks up for grabs she hasn't run 3 miles and i don't like that myself...not knowing a horse definitely stays in any horse race makes it very hard on punters especially when the under price of 11/4 is on offer and they have showed a decent turn of foot previously...after all she will be going up in trip by 1/2 mile and a full mile from her prep race...a friend who i respect thinks she won't have a problem stepping up and he maybe right, but i'm not keen to find out at the price offered myself although she will probably be ok

as much as i feel she might win either race i do feel her optimum trip at present has to be 2 and half miles and she also seems to love deep ground like her stablemate hurricane fly, that isn't to say she won't handle good but she definitely likes soft, you don't win like she has, unless you genuinely do like it and she does

anyway hope you get a run and she would make champ hurdle day a special one and is what racing is all about, the allowance she receives could be very valuable...stayers hurdle or champion hurdle...i know where my mare would run, as would want to do a dawn run with the horse, plus it is the sporting race to run in...dawn run bought the house down when doing the double and racing needs superstars, so the champ for me...

also i won't have to read another one of your threads on the horse eeternaloptimist

You'd think so Harry but as I've said before I can't bet on the race because there are so many I think have a good chance including Annie. I'm just another racing enthusiast who wants to see what is already shaping up to be a race for the ages with another star who I think could be the best of the lot. Sometimes just watching is enough. There are plenty of other races to bet on.

yes i am the same...would be great to see her run but i do feel her best chance of winning will be with cut in the ground, similar to the other mud loving stablemate hurricane fly, because on good i have reservations she will be quick enough...anyway similar to faugheen the betting is starting to say stayers which will be a shame as it really would look a vintage race on paper, if she were to take her chance

I don't quite get how the donny race has changed anything too much, I actually think she did exactly what she should have done.

One more point on that RUK thing earlier in the week, now of course Ruby wasn't giving much away, but reading between the lines I'd say he fancied UDS more than AP for the CH...of course we all expect him to ride HF but you could really see when asked about a direct comparison between the fly and UDS just how much he fancies UDS.

When it came to discussing the WH, there was a point when he agreed that BB would have to be at his best to beat AP getting weight.

I just thought it betrayed a bit more about what their real thoughts and plans were.

If it wasn't for Hurricane Fly there would be no need at all for a debate. It's quite obvious that Annie Power should be running in the Champion Hurdle. The problem is Ruby would find it very hard to get off Hurricane Fly so he'd much rather she runs in the world Hurdle whilst Mullins would also be reluctant to beat Hurricane with one of his own. Let's hope the owner wins the argument as it would be a bit of an anti-climax for Annie to be in the world hurdle.

it's not quite as simple as saying without Hurricane she would be in the world as without him she would have turned up in something other than a tin pot Grade 2 may well have been beaten by one of the other contenders and be more likely to run in the World. Alternatively she may have rocked up in the Irish Champion and hosed up and be clear favorite. It's the very fact that they haven't deemed her worthy of running in a proper Grade 1 that we find the CH in the position its in, same with UDS. I agree that its difficult to take too much out of the Donny race, I have not doubt that TNO and MTOY would have hammered the second horse just as far if not by further just like Grumeti was smashed out of sight at Kempton during the Christmas Hurdle. 

I have seen all the comments about the WH not being the Churdle but I would rather win the World than finish a gallant 3rd or 4 beaten maybe two lengths or less in the Champion. There is no doubt that the Champion Hurdle will take alot of winning this year and the owners bright as they are must realise this to some extent. The first race with Zarkander for me suggested she was a stayer, the more recent races less conclusive.