A FRENETIC hour in the Stan James Champion Hurdle ante-post market ended up with Annie Power installed as the new favourite for the opening day feature of the Cheltenham Festival after the star mare made her belated seasonal debut in the opening punchestown.com Mares Hurdle.
Sensational news broke just before racing that Rich and Susannah Ricci’s Faugheen, a general 1/3 shot to retain his Champion Hurdle crown in under four weeks’ time, would miss the remainder of the season due to a suspensory ligament injury.
Annie Power took her opportunity to grab centre-stage by making all under Ruby Walsh for a facile six and a half lengths victory against just two rivals at the prohibitive odds of 1/20.
Willie Mullins, who still has a very strong Champion Hurdle hand with the likes of Arctic Fire and Nichols Canyon also at his Closutton base, said: “That went according to plan. She was keen but they tend to be when they are on their own. She was fine (with the first time hood) but is always going to be fresh on her first run back. I don’t know if she will wear a hood the next time.
“I will have a chat with the owner and see how she comes out of the race. That was really like a schooling session but it was what she needed rather than a race at the moment, and we can step up her work now.
“I don’t know which race she will go for but we will keep all options open. I always thought she was a two and a half miles mare as that’s the distance at which she really shines. But she has enough speed to go back to two miles.”
On hearing that Annie Power is now generally 2/1 favourite for the Champion Hurdle, he added: “It looks like we will have to supplement her then. It’s not often I miss an entry at Cheltenham! You would love to get another run but there isn’t time.”
Mullins and Walsh again successfully teamed up in the following two-mile maiden hurdle as Bellow Mome stepped up on his Irish debut at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting.
The Audrey Turley-owned 4/1 chance was prominent throughout and driven out by Walsh to beat Lip Service by half a length.
“I didn’t think he’d handle that ground. He jumped well, and it was a big improvement on his last run. The shorter trip probably helped, and we’ll look at Fairyhouse and Punchestown,” said Mullins.
Walsh made it a treble on the afternoon as Robin Thyme brought up a notable milestone for trainer Gordon Elliott in the INH Stallion Owners EBF Maiden Hurdle.
The 11/10 favourite, owned and bred by the Sammon family, provided Elliott with his first century of winners in an Irish National Hunt season when also ridden up with the pace before drawing clear on the run-in to beat Long Way Back by seven lengths.
Elliott, who was joining a select band including Aidan O’Brien, Noel Meade and of course Willie Mullins, was represented by his assistant Ollie Murphy, who said: “That’s been the target for some time, and it’s great for the yard to get 100 National Hunt winners in Ireland. This horse wants three miles and a fence, and whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus.”
Liz Doyle and the Goliath Syndicate may well have an ideal replacement for the ill-fated Le Vent D’Antan as Without Limites (4/7fav) made short work of his two rivals in the bumper.
After Finny Maguire made all on the Martaline gelding for an easy 12-length win, Doyle said: “He’s improved a good notch from Leopardstown. We were afraid there would be no gallop with just three runners so we decided the best thing was to go on.”
She added: “Finny said it felt like he was doing a hack canter which is a good sign. He may run again this season but whether that’s at Cheltenham or not, I don’t know.
“It’s not the best place to go with a four-year-old, although this horse is a bit more robust than Le Vent D’Antan. I bought him as a yearling in France, and he’s by the same sire as D’Antan.”
Tom Mullins views That’s A Wrap as a chaser in the making after the J.P. McManus-owned gelding justified 15/8 favouritism by three lengths under a confident Mark Walsh in the two mile and four furlong handicap hurdle.
Mullins said: “He learned a nice bit last time in Fairyhouse which was his first handicap. He quickened away well when Mark asked him. He’s definitely a chaser and loves jumping. He won’t go on anything quick this year.”
Jonathan Sweeney saddled his second winner under rules as Ballybrowney Ella (13/2) led entering the straight and bravely held off Midnight Theatre by three-quarters of a length in the two mile and six furlong mares’ maiden hurdle.
“She wants a bit of better ground, and didn’t handle it at Fairyhouse the last day. Ambrose (McCurtin) gave her a great ride, and she’ll jump a fence. The owner Patrick Pyne, and his daughter Lisa who bred her, are neighbours of mine (near Kildinan, Co Cork).”
Luckyinmilan added to a win over the same trip at Thurles last month when staying on dourly from the last under Ian McCarthy to take the two miles and six furlong handicap hurdle.
Winning trainer Oliver McKiernan said: “Hopefully he’ll improve and we’ll find another handicap at this trip or three miles. The (Keep The Faith) Syndicate is made up of family relations from Cavan and Offaly.”
ACTING STEWARDS
Mrs J.O. Onions, Mrs T.K. Cooper, Capt S.H. Walford, J. McGrath, P.D Matthews
HORSE TO FOLLOW
JUMBO JOHN (Mrs L. Fowler): A lightly-raced 10-year-old but showed plenty of promise in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle, and the Presenting gelding should be able to take advantage of his lowly mark on better ground.
Whip ban
Ian McCarthy picked up a two-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency on Luckyinmilan.