Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares' Champion Hurdle |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 15:50 €100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 2nd May 2015 | |
1 Annie Power 2/9F
2 Analifet 10/1
3 Kalane 25/1
7 ran Distances: 10l, 11l, 3l
TIME 4m 33.40s (slow by 21.40s)
Annie Power helps Willie Mullins to a record sixteen victories at Punchestown
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Annie Power returned to her majestic best when easing to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.
In command when coming to grief at the last in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham, she was sent off the 2-9 favourite to atone and travelled beautifully in front for Ruby Walsh.
After being asked to lengthen rounding the home turn, Annie Power made no mistake at the last this time and cruised clear to beat fellow Willie Mullins inmate Analifet.
Walsh admitted his relief after Annie Power safely negotiated all the obstacles to get back on the winning trail.
He said: "She's better going left-handed, she's always jumped out to her left, but she made all and it's a strong old headwind down the back.
"She wasn't exactly facing it but you couldn't blame her for that. She jumped well on the whole and I guess once bitten, twice shy.
"At the second-last I was thinking 'happy days, this will keep me honest to the last', but then I could hear them dropping off and dropping off and I was thinking 'not again!'."
Annie Power was having just her second start of the campaign and Walsh was pleased to see her back on form.
He said: "As she's got older, she's lost a little bit of speed, but I wouldn't mind that. She has a good cruising speed.
"She's had a very interrupted season, she had that little problem in December before the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, we got her back to Cheltenham where she crashed and fell.
"She wasn't sparkling at Aintree time, but just in the last 10 days she's really come together and started to work like the mare she is. It's great to have her back - (it's a) pity she's had such a light campaign."
Mullins may consider running Annie Power again before she departs on a summer break, but he too was delighted to see her back in the winner's enclosure.
He said: "She's back and we'll have to decide whether to go to France or put her away.
"She was definitely not herself after the fall at Cheltenham and I was concerned after her first few bits of work that she might have pulled something in her neck and was not letting herself go.
"However, Ruby pushed her a bit more in a piece of work and she was better, and she's worked well in her last few bits.
"Analifet was fantastic as well as she made a bad mistake at the second-last."
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)
€100,000 added, 4yo plus, 2m 2f, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Yielding
| Pos | Dist | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Annie Power (IRE) 2/9f | R Walsh 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 7 | |
| 2nd | 10 | Analifet (FR) 10/1 | B J Cooper 11-7 |
W P Mullins | 5 |
| 3rd | 11 | Kalane (IRE) 25/1 | N D Fehily 11-7 |
C E Longsdon | 6 |
| 4th | 3 | Katie T (IRE) 7/1 | B S Hughes 11-7 |
K Prendergast | 6 |
| 5th | 1¼ | Jennies Jewel (IRE) 33/1 | I J McCarthy 11-7 |
J P Fahey | 8 |
| 6th | 37 | Rock On The Moor (IRE) 14/1 | R M Power 11-7 |
Mrs J Harrington | 7 |
| 7th | 1¾ | Pass The Time 50/1 | M P Walsh 11-7 |
N P Mulholland | 6 |
