Connections of the 2014 Champion Hurdle winner are considering the idea of campaigning the Willie Mullins-trained gelding over three miles come the autumn. The eight-year-old was unable to defend his crown at this year's Cheltenham Festival after suffering a suspensory ligament injury in the build-up to the race. Owner Rich Ricci said: "If (his injury) had happened around Christmas time, we probably could have made Cheltenham, but unfortunately it happened in the Irish Champion Hurdle. "He is in great form and will be back this season. We will just have to figure out where he and Annie Power run. "I'm of two minds. No mare has ever won the Champion Hurdle twice, and Faugheen deserves his chance to defend his crown as well. "They could both obviously stay a trip and do three miles as well, depending if Thistlecrack goes chasing or not. Who knows, they have both got to get there first, but they are in good order. "He (Faugheen) won over three miles at Limerick as a novice. It is interesting. It is such a long way from here to there and I will probably get murdered for saying something that changes my mind later on, but you have to consider it."
Faugheen 9/1 and Annie Power 8/1 for the world hurdle - Faugheen 2/1 and Annie Power 5/1 for the Champion Hurdle
Interesting sub-plot as we all wait for the jumps 'proper' to start again in the autumn. I was drawn to the reference to Thistlecrack - the Tizzard 'monster' has got them all running scared it seems and I'm sure Rich will be hoping that he goes down the chasing route (starting off at Chepstow in October apparently) to leave the way clear in the staying hurdle division. We're only just out of Royal Ascot but I'm looking forward to the winter game already!
Sounds like they just want to mess him about like they did with Annie Power, Vautour and Vroom Vroom Mag. I cant see him going chasing as he has a high cruising speed and fences would just slow him down. He should be fine as a stayer but why not just keep mopping up Champion Hurdles with him as Annie will most likely be off to see a stallion in a year or two.
Will be disgraceful if they dont run against each other imo, nothing but greed from that team over the years, they have sold the sport short for personal gain, keeping all these good horses apart. You are talking about a massive percentage of the top horses in jump racing, NEVER running against each other.
If I owned them both I wouldn't run them against one another. Though as a fan id like to see them take each other on. My money would be on Annie Power if they met in a Champion Hurdle.
Doesnt make sense. You are saying if you were in control of something you wanted to see, you would stop it from happening?
Makes perfect sense. If they where my horses I would want to win 2 races at the festival rather than 1. But as they aren't id like to see who's the best out of the 2.
Could see the point maybe if you only had those two horses. To me, if you have 2 Champion Hurdle horses they should both be in the Champion Hurdle.
At those prices does it make sense to have the two in doubles (at 59/1 and 26/1) or effectvely 29/1 OR 25/2
I wouldnt run them against each other - they both have an aura of invincibilty about them so why burst it - were they both geldings it would be different. Were they to race the fact Annie gets 7lbs would always mean there would be question marks were Annie to win. You would also have gripes about jockey, ground, how the race was run and you would end up with split camps on horses you want thought of as all time greats. Annie doesnt look like she wants stepping up to me. Faugheen tanks through his races and I would think could comfortably see out 3 miles. I'm dissapointed we may not see Vroom Vroom have a go at the world hurdle.
Given they have both had injury issues recently, and connections are never clear on a horse's intended target, I wouldn't back either of them for anything ante post.
