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| I've Got The Power - Annie Power can beat the boys in the World Hurdle |
Alas time got the better of me but my thoughts haven’t really changed in the aftermath of the Cleeve and Annie Power’s run at Doncaster – if Annie Power takes her chance in the World Hurdle she can win it.
With her going over two miles at Doncaster many were convinced that was an indication that she will run in the Champion Hurdle rather than its longer companion. However Willie Mullins already has two for that race (including the favourite) and though Annie Power is with different owners I can’t imagine they’d make Ruby Walsh get off her – which he surely will if it’s a choice between her and Hurricane Fly.
He’s also unlikely to abandon Quevega in her bid for further Cheltenham history in the Mares race which really only leaves one option and with Boston Bob running an absolute shocker in the Cleeve that leaves Mullins with no real contender for the World Hurdle too, so step forward Annie Power.
With Big Buck’s only just coming back from injury and losing his unbeaten run the race looks more open than any of the previous World Hurdles Paul Nicholls’ star has contested.
Annie Power not being confirmed for a specific race yet is irritating but with NRNB available on the championship races with many bookies we can get our money down now before she is confirmed and is clipped in price again.
She’s not exactly value, even with the doubts over where she’ll run, but she is unbeaten still, will get the mares allowance and with many question marks over so many of the opposition looks to have a great chance here of landing a Cheltenham championship race.
She’s all class and has already proven she can serve it up to the best of them, having accounted easily for the more than useful Zarkandar on a couple of occasions. Of course this will truly test her metal but Ruby Walsh is rarely a bad judge and he seems to really be sweet on this horse.
I think this is the race she will ultimately run in and I really do think she can win it and begin a period of sustained domination at the very highest level.
Big Buck’s will be a tough foe to vanquish however and he will no doubt be much fitter than he was on Saturday when finally losing over hurdles. There was so much to like about his comeback run even in defeat, with him looking as good as ever for most of the way only tiring close to home.
The ground and the absence were obviously contributing factors to his defeat and he may well not have either such worry come the World Hurdle – he is the worthy favourite for the race.
He’s eleven now though, has shown he is mortal in losing in the Cleeve and crucially for me the man who rode him to all four of his victories in this race will likely be on his main rival and will know exactly what to do to try and get him beaten again.
I’ll cheer the house down if he jumps the last in with a chance of regaining the crown he never actually lost but if there is a year that the great horse will taste defeat in this race then surely this is it, regardless of how much he comes on from that Cleeve run.
Outside of the big two it is J.P. McManus that holds the strongest chance of landing the race he has won twice before with Baracouda.
At Fishers Cross came back from a couple of terrible runs earlier in the season to run a cracker in the Cleeve. Amidst the shock winner and Big Buck’s losing though Rebecca Curtis’s charge’s run was largely unheralded, as was the training performance to get him back to that level having looked a shadow of his former self earlier in the season.
A repeat of that effort in the World Hurdle would surely see him in the frame, especially given his excellent record round Cheltenham – his chance only enhanced further should we get a race on heavy ground.
His jumping errors from earlier this season will need to be absent from his game though and with McCoy possibly forced to choose between him and More Of That it’s far from cut and dry that he even heads to the race as J.P.’s best chance.
More Of That has only had a handful of runs to his name thus far and remains thoroughly unexposed having only landed one Grade 2 when mightily impressive in the Relkeel back in December.
It’s impossible to know just how good he is and bookies understandably seem to be taking differing views, with some keen not to get on the wrong side of him.
If the champ was to elect to ride him that would be telling, but his lack of experience might just be a negative, though he could bolster his claims with a further run before March.
Quevega won’t run here and Zarkandar looks held by Annie Power and would certainly be second string behind Big Buck’s albeit a mighty talented second string.
Nicholls could also field Salubrious and impressive Lanzarote winner Saphir Du Rheu, though whether either is truly good enough remains to be seen. Given the latter’s owner also has Big Buck’s and Celestial Halo as well it would perhaps be unlikely that his new emerging star will run here this year.
Rule The World could be interesting having run so well behind The New One in the Neptune last year and finally got back to winning ways last time out following a terrible injury. His trainer is a very shrewd operator and will surely bring him here at his optimum; he could be a good bet at a price in one of the most open years I can remember for this race.
Recommendation:
Annie Power 1pt win @ 3/1 [NRNB] (Bet365)
Previously:
Champion Hurdle Preview
Champion Chase Preview
Gold Cup Preview
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