ANNIE POWER

AFC waits for Newbury?

How right I am too Mr Michief. It's called possessing an imagination.

entries for Ascot Hurdle:

Rolling Star
Zaidpour
Zarkandar
Melodic Rendezvous
Bygones of Brid
Magnifique Etoile
Annie Power

small field but could be a cracker though I thought Melodic Rendezvous was gonna wait for Fighting Fifth.

tough assignment for annie power back off the lay off...we will see what she is really made of, if turning up...

this isn't a mares final against 130 horses... very surprised to see her dropped in against this class first time back as nicer mare as she looks, this looks very tough on her

we will certainly find out how good she is here imo...i have my doubts and also want to see her do it on better ground so questions will be answered moving forward with her for me anyway

Most of them are off a lay off so it's evens on that score and I doubt, if she is runner, she will lack for fitness given they'd have sent here over. She will receive 11lb from Zarkandar, though 7lb of that is the f&m allowance.

so you don't think this is a tough race first time back sint?? considering the opposition she has faced back in ireland?

or i take it you think she is right up to the challenge??

A tough race in what sense Harry? Zark is coming off a lay off too, (though I don't see that as a problem for many horses if they have a good first time out record), but he has to concede penalties all round. Whoever wins is going to know they've had a race.

Rolling Star looked smart on his debut but blotted his copy book last time out. Is he up to winning?

Questions for all to answer.

I don't know if Annie Power is up to it, but she is 4/4 over hurdles and rated 150's, this is not far off Grade 1 class already. Clearly Zarkandar is the one to beat and should be favourite.

a tough race in the context of the horses she has faced in ireland sint is what I mean...

she is clearly thought up to it and obviously gets all the allowances but I just thought she had plenty on here on what she has beaten/achieved in ireland and still has plenty to prove in that regard for me

i'm not knocking her just thought she had plenty on here on her first run against decent opposition... clearly you don't and think she is right up to the challenge, which is fair enough she certainly looks a nice mare

just need to see it against good company before i'm convinced...i will be if she wins saturday but think she has plenty to prove on the form book that is all

IMHO for what its worth, Annie Power will run in the mares race at Cheltenham, talk of her being a champion hdl contender is utterly ridiculous. Is she of the same ownership as Quevega? I don't no this but why not have 2 running for you, after all, Quevega certainly is not getting any younger and for every year that she wins the mares race, she looks less and less convincing/impressive. Is Annie Power the next Quevega and could this be her first year? Maybe if Quevega was to win it again, be placed, then come back next year and win it, after all, Quevega will be 10 at the festival and 11 the year after!

Glen's Melody has boosted her form twice from her last race.

For me it's about the opposition she will face.

Clearly Zarkandar is the class act here, but then what about the rest. Rolling Star .. how good is he? Meldoic Rendevous is likely to run at Newcastle.

A lot of the hype about this horse has come from Connections themselves.

fair comments tbf...

anyway i like her i'm not knocking her yet... for me she still has plenty to prove but taking on improving mares is difficult so it will be a watching brief for me and we will certainly have those questions answered saturday with everything in her favour with the allowances

except the ground which is still also an unknown with her

yep, all wins on Soft or Heavy so ground is a question mark.

Don't see talk of her as a CH contender as ridiculous at all.
No one knows how good she is for one thing,or indeed how good she will be.

Really hope this aint another Quevega waiting to happen, as much as I admire her it has been bl00dy boring watching her win every year....imo of course.

Don't mind watching her win, it's just having 2 races per season which narks. They should be a bit more ambitious imo.

yep,sure she could have achieved a lot more.....still shes had a good life!!
off to the races twice a year,bit of training and a lot of rest.

Annie is rated on her collateral form, if she was rated on her clock performances then she would look exceptionally well in receiving 11Lb.

RACEGOERS at Ascot on Saturday could be in for an unexpected treat after Willie Mullins revealed he is seriously considering unleashing last season’s unbeaten novice Annie Power, the horse who “could be anything”, in the Grade 2 Coral Hurdle.

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    Coral Hurdle card

After Annie Power’s name appeared on Tuesday among the seven entries for Saturday’s race, for which there were no additions when it was reopened on Monday, Mullins, who is enjoying a sensational run of form and saddled ten winners at the weekend, confirmed: “She was an original entry for the race when it closed and we’re happy with her and seriously considering running her.

“We have the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse eight days later as an alternative target and we’ll decide in the next day or two.”

Annie Power, who won three bumpers last season before going hurdling, last ran at Fairyhouse in March when she won a Grade 1 mares’ novice hurdle by 12 lengths.

After that race Mullins let slip his affection for the mare, saying: “She’s starting to show you guys now what I always knew she was. She really could be anything.”

Mullins also has Zaidpour, owned like Annie Power by Susannah Ricci, in Saturday’s Ascot event as well as in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, which the seven-year-old won a year ago.

Ruby Walsh, writing in his column for Racing UK, said: “The penalty structure in the Ascot race appeals to Willie.

“The Grade 1 hurdle Annie Power won in March was a novice event, so she gets only a half-penalty and she’ll receive a mare’s allowance, which means she runs off only 10st 11lb. She pretty much has everything and is going the right way.”

She still has plenty to prove, but after just 4 hurdle races, she really could be anything.
Her ratings are not much below the top novices from last season, and she didn't run at Cheltenham to achieve the over blown ratings that are often handed out at that meeting.
The horse she beat the last time by 12 easy lengths won a grade one next time out and Defy Logic has also upheld the form.

I think she is a worthy challenger and could be a max bet at this early stage for the mares race at the Festival.

Will surely stay home for first run, and a potentially easier option?

Any prices yet? Hoping Rolling Star is overpriced after his last run

Geraghty reporting he is working well with MTOY and Sprinter Sacre

Easier option Joci? Hatton's Grace is likely to have Solwhit and she wouldn't receive an additional 4lb allowance in that race. This looks the easier of the two i'd say.

You only need to read connections comments to see it's not punters hyping her up when usually it is

C-Oral really are a disgusting firm. They go Evens AP and 11/8 Zark, about a race they sponsor.

3.65 on the other hand go 11/10 and 6/4.

Mullins said: "It looks like we'll go to Ascot. She is well in herself and wherever we go we are going to meet something good so we think Ascot might be as good a starting point as any. The conditions of the race are also a good help as she only gets a half penalty."

wpm sending annie power over on sat  , said  at start of season he will be sending challengers for the top english races wonder if he has the   the king george in mind  ,sir des champs ?

Have taken the 11\10 on annie power.It looks a match between her and zarkander.I strongly fancy the mare with the weight concession, I can see her going odds on shortly. Any thoughts chaps ?

Have taken the 11\10 on annie power.It looks a match between her and zarkander.I strongly fancy the mare with the weight concession, I can see her going odds on shortly. Any thoughts chaps ?

I couldn't go overboard about her, HF aside, I'd have un de sceaux in front of her all day long myself.

Someone tell me where a mark of 155 comes from please, and while you're at it, tell me where defy logics 148 comes from she beat him well enough, but had to be pushed out a little, the run against dressedtothenines, not impressive...in relation to talk of champion hurdle!!!!

we often hear about horses from lesser stables...if such and such trained this it would be half the price, well it's reversed here, what price is she 11/10, she'd have to show me against the likes of zarkandar before I could entertain here at that price

Allowance or no allowance 11/10 is bad value.

She is going to murder this lot, even more so on these terms. Have a look at what she has done Missunited who ended up running a place in a Flat Group 1. She is a monster and she'd be the Mullins Champion Hurdle horse this season I'd say.

why do you rate un de sceaux more duffy??? on what he achieved in a backend novice hurdle??

then go on a rant about what she has achieved what has he achieved i ask?

and also wtf has un de sceaux got to do with annie power anyway

It has been a shallow old pool of hurdlers in the last number of years bar Fly and Zarkander has shown up well against a poor enough bunch.....I think the long season and babyishness beat The New One. Everything is hard work for Zarkander at the best of times and I'd fear Nicholls might burst him trying to give 11 pounds to this mare. The stable jock is on to make sure he ain't given a hard time!!

My point is that pretty much the pair of them are horses that we are still waiting to see just how good they are at the highest level, on what the pair of them have done so far neither deserve to be talked about as proper CH hopes, there is nothing in the book to show it, so to that end, it's all about impression, and I'd hazard a guess that UDS will turn out to be a superior horse out of the two. I'm saying I'd prefer UDS but I'm not saying he's a CH horse!!!! people are actually saying that AP is a CH horse.

What have they got to do with one another,they're both from the same stable and I'm saying that I wouldn't even consider her the 2nd best horse in the stable as regards CH, even though ultimately neither are.

Basically, I've just baulked a bit at the way in which she is being talked about, it sounds like it's an established grade 1 hurdler that is being discussed, not a mare that has beaten a couple of decent horses receiving weight.

neill d, missunited last form in france is maybe not so good as it seems. It was a poor Gr1 for stayers and she ploughed through beaten horses to come a distant 3rd...

It is human nature to overstate one's case Suzy... Seriously though, Missunited aside, Annie is clearly very talented and Ruby would know whether that talent receiving 11lb would be enough to carry her to victory over Zarkander, hence the 11/10, this is an open and shut case for me and I think it is far more likely than not that she will win....she wouldn't be there otherwise.

Suzy I would agree re the French race. The winner had well and truly flown when Misunited came by those as you say beaten horses. Missunited won the Galway hurdle carrying 10-8 which is a bit away from CH form. AP and UDS may prove to be world beaters eventually but they have still a lot of proving to do at that level.

well we will find out saturday duffy...i have some reservations but will hold judgment till after saturday as improving mares can end up biting you in the azz...i just want to see how she handles better ground

personally think zarkandar is a fair price here...goes particularly well fresh and is still open to more improvement up in trip

should be a good race

Duffy
Someone tell me where a mark of 155 comes from please, and while you're at it, tell me where defy logics 148 comes from
ing
She slammed Defy Logic Receiving 8Lb who in turn comfortably beat Bright New Dawn 22 lengths in receipt of 5Lb who himself was only beaten 2 lengths by Champagne Fever at levels in the grade 1 Deloitte hurdle who was subsequently awarded a BHA rating of 157 after winning the Supreme. Collateral I know but the maths plus the visualisation of the superiority of her performance was apparent to the handicapper.

Reminds me of the 6 degrees of separation

the mare looks well treated by the conditions of the race and has an attractive profile  ,but zarkandar has proved that he is a very decent horse fresh ,unbeaten on his nh seasonal debut every  season in spite of pumpkin saying he will need or be better for the race! he should relish the extra distance and could be very hard to pass ,however at the prices for the 2 , for me a race to watch rather than bet!

The sixth degree, you admitting you made a mistake

I'm going to have a go at making UDS a better horse than AP using moscow mannon, AP beat MM 18 lengths receiving 8lbs whilst pushed out to win the race and MM eased down on the run-in.

UDS beat MM 13 lengths in a common canter whilst in effect giving 5 lbs without coming off the snaff, UDS only having his 2nd hurdle race too.

Of course it's all guesswork with the two of them at the moment as they are still to face the acid test, but the point is, if you look through collateral form I think it's fair to say you can find pretty much anything you wanted too, until the horse directly faces the acid test we won't know, we will know a lot more after saturday though for sure.

MM only beaten 5 Lengths by CF at levels, UDS could be anything

People are forgetting Annie Power will always receive 7lb when she takes on the boys. It is the allowance mares are given.

Zarkandar always seems to hit a flat spot during his races, so a lay before the race and an in-running bet is the way to make money imo...Personally i think

Zarkandar will outbattle Annie Power on the run-in, winning with 1 1/2 lengths.

Zark is now running over a trip more suitable to him, he ran top class races over 2 miles and is as hard as nails, coming back at liverpool and beating TNO after the brutal race of the CH, was a staggering performance and testament to his durability and guts, he's got several pieces of top class grade 1 runs in the bank, nicholls is sounding bullish about him, fair play to the AP connections because facing a horse of this type in her first real top class test is a big ask, there's also a sub plot to it all now too, nicholls/jacob v walsh, how it would stick in nicholls craw if after walsh abandoned ship to stay home in ireland, he comes lobbing up alongside zark, racing in dear old blighty!!!

Are we all forgetting Walsh has ridden both and will surely have had a part to play in Mullins decision to come over.

From walsh's point of view I don't think there is going to be any sort of grand scheme involved, it'll be sitting on his tail and then trying to out pace him at the end, walsh has commented before from within the nicholls camp that he has doubted zarks ability to pick up and quicken certainly with regards to CH racing.... he'll be banking on AP outpacing zark late on...I reckon jacob will be under strict instructions to force the pace a fair way from home and make her race from a long way out.

Surprised to see AP take up this option, but nice to see.

Nov 21, 2013 -- 12:53AM, duffy wrote:

From walsh's point of view I don't think there is going to be any sort of grand scheme involved, it'll be sitting on his tail and then trying to out pace him at the end, walsh has commented before from within the nicholls camp that he has doubted zarks ability to pick up and quicken certainly with regards to CH racing.... he'll be banking on AP outpacing zark late on...I reckon jacob will be under strict instructions to force the pace a fair way from home and make her race from a long way out.

This is what will happen IMO. Annie Power will have to be a good horse to break Zarkandar over this distance, even receiving 11 pounds.

Surprised also that AP crosses the water so soon but in truth with the talent at his disposal WM has to travel to accommodate everything. There will I imagine be plenty more of the same.

I don't think there is any coincidence that all of a sudden the mullins horses are now going to come over here and run at the same time that walsh is now available to ride them all without having to think about nicholls horses.

WPM has so many horses, it makes sense to come over here more imo. Decent pots to be won, and he has some of the best horses in training. Seems a natural progression for the yard to me... and what Ruby does or doesnt do is irrelevant really. Sure Ruby knew this was the intention, and that affected his decision, but thats it.

I'm sure that it would have made sense for mullins to have come over anytime in recent seasons too, he's had an embarrasement of riches for a while...didn't though!, mullins knowing that he's got walsh to ride his horses in this country will definitely have added to the incentive to do it and especially if , in some races he's knows the exact opposition he'll be up against like the back of his hand.

But after this season he won't. Ruby will only know what's what in the PFN yard for this coming season, and that's only with the established horses. This is the strongest squad of horses WPM has ever had, something like 37 horses rated 140+. There aren't enough races in Ireland to keep them all apart.

Yep, fair enough, it's still very reasonable to assume though that mullins having walsh to ride his horses in this new venture this season  certainly was a factor, if not the only factor, one thing that walsh will always have for all coming seasons is a better understanding of the tracks he'll be racing on compared to say townend, certainly helps to a degree, especially as it's going to be the big races we're talking about.....wouldn't it have been nice if one of the english CH hopes had gone over there last week-end.

The bottom line is, Mullins is the better trainer of the two, will be paying Ruby better money and it allows Ruby to ride closer to home. It's a no-brainer really. Plus, Ruby will get the chance to ride Nicholls' best at Cheltenham, if Mullins doesn't have an interest in the race. Ruby may be a p*ick, but he's no daft

Very succintly put TR

I dont believe Ruby will get to ride PNs good ones at Cheltenham but I sure would like to see him on Big Bucks and I reckon that might happen. The pairing are unbeatable especially up that hill.

*is unbeatable

Nov 21, 2013 -- 3:48PM, Arklearkle wrote:

I dont believe Ruby will get to ride PNs good ones at Cheltenham but I sure would like to see him on Big Bucks and I reckon that might happen. The pairing are unbeatable especially up that hill.

I really hope so. My favourite horse of all-time! But faces one heck of a challenge. 18 months absence and by far the best field he's faced. Tough 'un!

Yes, I think the race on saturday is going to be a fascinating one through the sub plots, I reckon nicholls will be absolutely desperate to win it, walsh leaving the stable only to reappear and beat one of his remaining stable stars would be a very bitter pill to swallow for him, if zark wins, I think we may see quite a bit of fist pumping from nicholls....fascinating.

Nicholls has a stable jockey,he will ride his horses I would think....Big Bucks included.
Cant have yer cake and eat it imo.
Ruby has made his decision and has to accept what goes with that decision.

Oh and why is Mullins a better trainer by the way??

Mullins is not a better trainer than PFN. Not until he's won 4 Gold Cups, 6 Tingle Creeks, 5 King Georges and any other top race race you want to shake your knadgers at.

Mullins has had twice as many winners at the Festival the last 3 years than Nicholls has. He has 12 to Nicholls 6 and Im include Rock on Ruby who Nicholls claimed credit for in that (trained at a seperate yard by Harry Fry). It's no contest really. Ruby knows

Ah,you mean better ammunition,or are you saying Nicholls could not train those Mullins winners??

good luck with proving that!!

duffy
21 Nov 13 15:52
Joined:
28 Mar 03
| Topic/replies: 11,079 | Blogger: duffy's blog
Yes, I think the race on saturday is going to be a fascinating one through the sub plots, I reckon nicholls will be absolutely desperate to win it, walsh leaving the stable only to reappear and beat one of his remaining stable stars would be a very bitter pill to swallow for him, if zark wins, I think we may see quite a bit of fist pumping from nicholls....fascinating.

Be interesting to see which track Nicholls goes to. I assumed he'd be at Haydock because he has fond memories of the Betfair Chase and likes to support the meeting. If he's at Ascot, that might be a tip in itself!

umm,Al Ferof and Zark at Ascot......Tidal and SC at Haydock.

2 runners in the same race might swing it, but don't think much can be read into it either way really.

Daryl Jacob gets on well with Zarkandar and it makes sense for him to ride. Ruby has always underestimated Zarkandar, he chose Sam Winner over him in the Triumph and Prospect Wells over him in the Elite last year. Of course Ruby is free to dream about how good the 'could be anything' Annie Power could be, he does not have to make a decision about whether to back her at odds on running for the first time against a rock solid grade 1 mark.

Excellent post barnesy

wouldn't make annie power fav to beat zarkandar personally 10-11 gee wizz

Yes Annie Power "could be anything" but Zarkander is already top notch.  Great race though.

A lot a chat on this thread today.
My thinking, Mullins is bringing horses over is simply because he ha an embarrassment of riches and owners to keep sweet. He has to keep them apart where possible.
The debate who is the better trainer?!?!?
Surely who has the better horses. It's only a matter of keeping them healthy and getting them fit for the big day. Training is not rocket science.

Thats right brandyontherocks, training racehorses is vastly overrated, same with playing good poker imo.

Ruby is in effect backing her at probably odds against because he has the choice - does he go to Ascot and win £50K or stay at home and win a possible E40k. All his eggs are in one basket in Ascot although there is good place money.

Have you ever trained a horse Brandy? How about 200 of them in one go?

Who is backing Zarkandar then ?

Not many yards boast 200+ horses Sint. Not any over jumps that i know of any ways.

I just think who has the firepower will be more successful than the other. Not rocket science,

Price on Annie Power seems insane to me. Not the biggest fan of Zarkander, but the current odds seem somewhat disrespectful to proven ability.

Got myself in a right mess on the betting, layed Annie power loads antepost hoping for a better price, and this is in inspite of the fact that Annie Power was one of my fancied horses for the year.

Should stick to poker lol!

2/1 Zark now ..

Gutted Captain Chris is out, the race won't tell us much re Al Ferof chances re the King Goerge now. Anyways, laters all, have a good day.

Nice performance. Looked more of a stayer than a champion hurdler to me, but you never know if it comes up Soft or Heavy she'll have a chance.

If she proves she stays further (looked like it), then that might be the option, to keep Hurricane Fly (Champion Hurdle), Quevega (Mares Hurdle) and Annie Power (World Hurdle?) apart come the Festival.

Shame they never had this attitude with quevega a couple of years back.

I think if they were able to run Quevega more often surely they would have.

She must be hard to get right i'd imagine.

Annie Power looked very good today. A very powerful, deep chested beast.

Also, as I said earlier on the thread but got told not to tell Willie Mullins how to train his horses, Annie Power should be given a crack against HF. The owner should not be dictated to by the trainer. If the Irish Champion hurdle comes up heavy like it has done the past few seasons then it would a race i'm sure we'd all love to see.

sint - agreed. I will stick to my original position when I opened this thread. I reckon Annie Power will go for the Champion Hurdle at The Festival in March and from what I saw yesterday will have a fighting chance in what is looking a great race. From watching the race Ruby could have gone for it at any point but he clearly wanted to hold back and push a good 2m4f mare hard over last few furlongs…….I reckon a fast run Champion Hurdle and a tough uphill finish is made for this mare. Money talking but I have long felt this way and yesterday made pleasant watching for my AP position. Would Ruby get off The Fly to ride Annie Power…….doubtful but he skilfully avoided the question yesterday and a very high % of his good rides are for the Ricci's nowadays so they might exert a little mild pressure on him. "Wee Ruby, if you want to ride Champagne Fever, Faugheen, Moyle Park, Ballycasey etc etc you might want to think about jumping up on Annie for the Champion"…………..whadya reckon. All aboard the Annie Express. Have I convinced ?

Annie Power is a higher price today for the Champion Hurdle than before yesterday's race so I don't understand how it made pleasant watching for your AP position. Looking at her shape over the hurdles and her confirmation I'm sure she'll make a lovely chaser next season. She had to be driven to catch Zarkander then outstayed him. I don't think she'll run in the champion.

would have thought she'd end up in the World Hurdle myself.

But it's a long time to March and a lot can change.

Autoc - I am not one for public arguments or correction but your statement about higher price today than before yesterdays race is not accurate or correct. She was 20/1 across the boards on Oddschecker yesterday before the race. Immediately after the race she went to between 10/1 - 12/1 with all bookmakers except BetVictor who immediately went to 8/1 and overnight aligned with the rest at 10/1. And that is FACT as Rafa would say. My AP bet is significantly better than 20/1……….and thats why yesterday made pleasant watching for my AP position. FACT !

just wonder if connections might be tempted to come back to England for the International Hurdle, three weeks between races, would give her course experience (albeit on the new course rather than the old course, I think) and they'd see how they stood with the likes of The New One.

TNO would thrash her and then take her out for dinner afterwards imo.

relkeel hurdle would be more like it.

HAYLINGBILLY THIS IS A BETFAIR THREAD AND, NOT UNREASONABLY, I WAS REFERRING TO THE BETFAIR PRICE WHICH WAS 12.5 BEFORE THE RACE YESTERDAY AND 13.5 THIS MORNING. FACT.

On top of that you would be advised to lay off your bet as she won't be winning a champion hurdle. Feel free to copy and save my advice for March.

Doesn't look like a Champion Hurdle contender to me. Agree with the comment re chasing though..... She could be an absolute superstar over the big ones next season IMO.

Also think the World Hurdle looks the most suitable race.

Like I said, I am not one for public argument. Thank you for your sage advice.

well she surprised me how easy she won and was quite taken by her myself on her first start back...she is probably a 2 1/2m  horse but doesn't lack pace so the champion hurdle is where she will end up for me...

she will get 7lbs and with normal progression (only her 5th start over hurdles) she has to be taken very seriously with that allowance in the champion hurdle...

i for one would be very surprised if she ended up in the world hurdle this season although agree she looks a stayer but did she just look a stayer as the winner set decent fractions and blew up for me between the last 2 flights and is no mug in his own right...she also proved she can handle better ground

anyway look forward to her next start

Is there a stat out there as regards to mares winning the champion hurdle/world hdl to number that have tried against sp? Just think that would make interesting reading. There is usually a stats man out there somewhere lol

Would love her to be targeted at the International. In my mind the best way to judge her ability to be a real Champion Hurdle hope or not. Will likely be a small field and possible match with The New One

Willie has said HF gets first choice and they will keep them apart.

Fcuk knows why the owner  accepts that.

I think by March the trainer wont have a choice if AP has proved to be a CH horse.

Annie Power looks groomed to be the biggest Willie tease yet. Three ante-post camps will be shown just enough to keep them excited right up to final declarations. After much heated debate and loss of temper in the build up, one lot will have it off and the other two brigades will be sticking pins in wax effigies. This is just a guess based on previous forum form.