One of the most popular features in the March issue of Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder was Joseph Burke’s Story of Annie Power and the mare’s many fans will doubtless be pleased that her Cheltenham Festival target has now been confirmed.
On Sunday evening, Willie Mullins settled the matter by declaring that the unbeaten daughter of Shirocco will take on Big Buck’s in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, a contest that is sure to light up the action on the Thursday of the Festival.
Speaking after giving a number of his potential Festival runners a racecourse gallop at Leopardstown, Mullins said: “All being well, and if everything goes right, Ruby [Walsh] will probably ride Hurricane Fly in the Champion, Quevega in the mares’ race and Annie Power in the stayers’ [World Hurdle].
“We’ve had a good chat with the owners and at the moment that’s the way it looks, they are all happy on that score.”
Annie Power is no stranger to Britain having made her sole three starts of the current season at Ascot, Cheltenham and Doncaster. Prior to that she won seven consecutive starts in her native Ireland, with her first two wins coming in bumpers for Jim Bolger and in the colours of her breeder Eamon Cleary.
