Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares' Champion Hurdle
Grade 1, Punchestown €100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1
Saturday 3rd May 2014

1 Annie Power 1/6F
2 Jennies Jewel 25/1
3 Katie T 20/1
NR: Glens Melody (IRE)
5 ran Distances: 7l, 3½l, 2½l
TIME 4m 24.50s (slow by 12.50s)

A record crowd of 29,042 watched Annie Power storm to a facile success in the Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown today.

Annie Power
© Caroline Norris

“Ruby (Walsh) wanted to be handy and to jump out and go. She was fine with that,” said trainer Willie Mullins. “I just wondered if I’d done enough with her beforehand because she had a nice break after Cheltenham. She made one or two minor jumping errors and did hang off the rails slightly.

“I’ve said all week we’ve got to sit down and discuss what we do with them all next season – there will be a lot of thinking and drinking! Most of them are in the same ownership as well. She’ll go out to grass now and have a break, she’s had a hard enough season. We’ll decide whether to stay hurdling or go chasing.”

Owner Rich Ricci added: “She’s a great, great mare and it’s a privilege to own her. I think she can go over any distance. She stayed the trip at Cheltenham, she was just beaten by a good horse.

“This is her first race on Irish soil this season so it’s nice to finish off the year with a win at home. We’ll discuss whether we go hurdling or chasing next season.”

Mullins also had news of Quevega and said: “She was covered by Beat Hollow yesterday. It all appears to have gone well and we’ll collect her tomorrow. She has finished racing and is starting her next career. Hopefully she will be as good a broodmare as she was a racemare.”

Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
€100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1
5 ran
Going: Good to Yielding