Yes, will be at the course and can't wait. Very impressive card so far, hopefully some stand their ground in the big races.
http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=23369124&category=0 FAUGHEEN and Annie Power could meet for the first time in an explosive clash at this year's Cheltenham Festival, trainer Willie Mullins revealed on Monday. The duo, who have lost just three times in 30 outings under rules between them, are both being considered for the Stan James Champion Hurdle, which was won by Faugheen in 2015 and by Annie Power last year in his absence. It had been expected that the two Rich Ricci-owned hurdlers would be given separate assignments. Mullins was speaking at the launch event for Sunday's BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle, in which Faugheen is set to make his first appearance since landing the same Leopardstown event a year ago. Mullins said: "Faugheen is going well at home. He'll do another bit of work either tomorrow or on Wednesday and if that goes well, and we expect it will, we'll be looking forward to running him on Sunday. "We're looking at starting Annie Power off in a 2m4f mares' hurdle at Punchestown on February 22 and, at this stage, I certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of both of them running in the Champion Hurdle." Mullins added: "Both of them have won the race, so what do you do? Run both of them or only one and go for another race with the other?" Faugheen is also in the Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle while there are Grade 1 alternatives for Annie Power in that race and the OLBG Mares' Hurdle. Mullins said: "We'll see how things go over the coming weeks and I'll be chatting to Rich. Hopefully all will be well with both horses and if that's the case we'll have a big decision to make. "If we split them up and both win that would be great, but if we ran one in the Champion Hurdle and he, or she, got beaten then we'd be wondering 'what if?' and the Champion Hurdle is the big one." Mullins also speculated that Yorkhill, favourite for the JLT Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, could be a Champion Hurdle contender next year if he ends up this season with question marks remaining about him over fences. Yorkhill, a three-time Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler last season, made it two from two over fences when scoring at Leopardstown on Sunday. "He jumped to the left on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse and did so again on Sunday," said Mullins. "We'll see how things go but I would have absolutely no problem going back over hurdles with him next season, if we're not convinced about his jumping over fences. "Leaving Cheltenham in March after he won the Neptune, I thought he had what it takes to be a Champion Hurdle contender this year. We thought long and hard about going chasing with
Me arse Faughen v Annie Power Anyone know why Paddy Power have priced up Saturday's Finesse Juvenile Hurdle as follows: Charli Parcs 4/6, Defi Du Seuil 15/8? I assume they believe the latter won't be running?
Before Toppy posted those Annie/Faugheen comments I’d never heard of that Mullins chap. Upon reading them you have to conclude that this Mullins fellow has said an awful lot and said absolutely nothing at the same time! This could happen, this may happen, let’s see what happens, etc. And I’ll tell you what springs to mind that radio ad that shouts, ‘No flim flam, no fiddle faddle. Just the facts’. Cor blimey, man, for you and Rich Richtea, the heir to the biscuit tin fortune, to be even muttering the words ‘Annie Power’ and ‘Mares Hurdle’ in the same breath makes you a disgrace in my opinion. Hang your heads in shame. Alan King, seemingly, set to rely on more experienced 4YO hurdlers in Saturday’s ‘Triumph Trial’ at Cheltenham. Cosmeapolitan has entries on Friday though. The old boy is in heats and Huntingdon and Doncaster.
There is no way in the world they will race each other...... as the owner you would be mad to. I would be really excited to see what Faugheen could do to Uknowwhatimeanharry.....
Hard to know what he has beaten, but Neil Mulholland's Most Celebrated was very impressive at Wetherby today and can still be backed at 25/1 for the Triumph Hurdle. The former Godolphin inmate will be aimed at one of the big trials (Adonis or Victor Ludorum) next. I must say the Triumph Hurdle is looking like an absolute corker this year, some really smart 4 year-olds about
I went first time last year Toppy. Wait ages for a beer and it's stupidly busy, but still it's brilliant. Just let yourself be sucked into the atmosphere!
AUGUSTA KATE 8s for the mares novice hurdle. Value? 2m4 seems her trip and she seemed to have real chance when falling upsides Death Duty LTO
It would be against everything we have ever seen from them if they did run both. Of course I would run both, the fact that the other option is the mares hurdle makes it a no brainer, could see the case if there was another championship event for one of them but Annie isnt really a 3 miler and the world hurdle isnt really a championship event. If they split them up its basically greed from people whos greed should long have been quenched in terms of prize money and races won at Cheltenham. Both in the Champion Hurdle is the right thing for the horses and the right thing for the sport, to me that is indisputable, dont care who pays the bills, especially when its a crooked billionaire.
Why would anyone rather win ONE Grade One race at Cheltenham rather than TWO when you've two horses good enough to do so, defies logic doesn't it Of course from the very tone of the post to which I'm replying gives the game away in that if it was a different owner or trainer involved the script would be very different, just a hunch of course And of course YOU would do it as it's the 'right thing for the sport' So selfless, you're actually a philanthropist masquerading as an internet WUM aren't you
But Beefy this is the current holder of the Champion Hurdle crown that we are talking about. Not some animal who may possibly be a good horse in time. I really cannot, for one second, see what winning a ‘Mares Hurdle’ would do to her C.V. To use a political analogy it would be akin to Mrs May resigning in order to organise a Summer Fete! Plus she is a mare of untold worth (both in monetary terms and from a bloodstock perspective). What possible ‘up’ to her career as a broodmare is there to winning a minor event like the ‘Mares Hurdle?!? To a horse who is up and coming winning that race is huge but to a Champion Hurdle winner it will be on the negligible side of negligible. If all they had planned for Annie Power, after last term, was to be either Faugheen’s back up or a tilt at the ‘Mares Hurdle’ I really don’t know why they didn’t just retire the old girl there and then. Meanwhile if I was Rich Richtea, heir to the biscuit tine fortune, personally I’d far rather achieve a 1-2 in the Champion Hurdle than win the latter and a minor heat. The stellar moment in Aidan O’Brien’s career thus far is probably his awesome feat of training the 1-2-3 in the ’16 Arc. It’s something that will be spoken about for a 100 years or more - and rightly so. If Rich Richtea gets a 1-2 in a Champion Hurdle that too would always be recalled as a pivotal moment in the sport. If he wins a Champion and a Mares Hurdle on the same day though I’d imagine that would be forgotten about 24 hours later!
