If she is gonna be a gold cup horse needs to win world hurdle

ludicrous decision.
for future reference, ricci can be walked all over seemingly

It makes the most sense. Willie/Ruby can be heroes in 3 races at the festival. It's in no one's interest to put AP against the Fly....and for one thing it makes the world hurdle a better race...the Champion Hurdle already looks like a cracker!!

Wouldn't shock me if Annie Power failed to stay and took over the Quevega role

sorry mate,all this studying getting me a bit touchy !

Usually because the world hurdle is contended by failed chasers.

True. Just hope they walk the first 1/2 mile like last year and then hopefully she won't be bottomed before she even begins her chasing career

To be honest, IMO they have wasted a year with her now,could have gone nov chasing and be going GC next season.

I agree with you Bud

Budd, you say that it's not what they'd planned. Where's the evidence?


Not one race over 3m. Every race over hurdles thus far has been 2m or 2 and a halfm, her last race was 2m.

Start of season owner said he wanted CH.


if they had planned WH for her she would have been campaigned that way, she aint.
Shes been campaigned in a way to step in should HF have a setback...clear as day for me.
Its been a sort of in between distances campaign, so she could go 2m if needed to.
Now we are getting close,they are saying WH for the first time with some substance.

She will now run in a race 3 furlongs further than shes raced before.
Personally I think she will win the race,as she is considered a Gold Cup horse. And that for me is further evidence...shes considered a Gold Cup type,yet has forsaken a novice chase campaign, for the WHurdle!!
I could understand that if owner wanted the glory of the CHurdle, but the WH?? When she could have been going Arkle on the way to Gold Cup??.
Got to wait another year now,just for the WH???  Nope,not avin it.

I think WM has behaved disgracefully, and I would never have a horse with him after the way he has handled this mare. She was kept over hurdles to go for the champion, and he has bullied the owner out of letting her run. He said in a recent interview "has she ever met a real champion hurdle horse". Well, as it happens, she has twice beaten Zarkandar easier than Hurricane Fly did in last year's Champion, so arguable "yes". But if she hasn't Willie, who's fault is that exactly? Meanwhile, she is now going to have to step up more than half a mile in trip - and a mile on her last run - in a championship event. It's complete nonsense.

She might go and win it of course, but I would still stand by all the above. She might also have a really gruelling battle and be put off the place, when she's barely come of the bridle so far.

I think she'd have a great chance in the Champion, and would be a certainty in the mares, Quevaga no chance over 2.5m against this mare. Quevaga, of course, is the one that SHOULD be running in the world hurdle.

There are many in Ireland who think WM is some sort of God. I disagree, but he certainly moves in mysterious ways.

Barry poor WM must be nearly in tears on hearing that you wont be sending a horse to him!

Its a problem that will continue if one trainer has the best horses,and his own agendas.
Lethal combination for ruining the sport imo.

probably not my best timing but Mullins 10 year record in the World Hurdle is underwhelming at best.

2 placed from 15 runners, you may say she's too good for it to matter but, it does suggest he's not the best judge of what is required to be a force in the race given the firepower at his disposal - appreciate seven of those races have been won by two absolute superstars but you'd expect him to have a few more in the frame at least.

I should imagine its cos non runner no bet scenario so Bookies /punters covering themselves in case Annie plans change.

Said it on here for 3 months. Always been heading World Hurdle.jesus it's been double figs for the other two for as long....even Forrest Gump could work out it was the World

I wanted her in the Churdle but no point covering very old ground with that.

More importantly, does she stay in the World?

I think now it's just about the most intriguing question of the Festival, as I suspect a lot of people think she'd be good enough to hack up if she does. I'm very much on the fence, so couldn't be backing her at the price with the doubt in my mind. Her keenness the last day is what worries me. The World might not be as deep as the Churdle but it's got some very good horses with bundles of stamina in and she will really be tested. Gun to my head, I think she'll fall in a hole after the last and finish an honourable third before settling better and coming back to get up the hill and win next year's RSA.

Paddy M is wrong. One of the horses she's beaten (twice) was 4th in last year's champion, beaten just over 7l by an all-out Hurricane Fly. The horse that fell at the last as she disappeared into the distance at Donny wasn't too far behind MTOY in a grade one at Newcastle. And she travelled last time like a 2 miler, and quite a fizzy one at that. She should be in the Champion and would beat Hurricane Fly easily.

Im surprised to see that she is as short as 2.98 on here against established stayers, she has beat very little in slowly run races and although getting the allowance for being a mare she could also come into season. She makes the prices for other horses for me.

Well I obviously want bigger than 2-1 for a horse that has beaten 19 rivals in her last 6 runnings.that has never won at the trip, that will go a faster early pace than she has gone before.

You could say she beat Pass The Time by 23 lengths, is that World Hurdle form?