The six-year old will not tackle the big obstacles just yet…
With 11 wins and one second place in her career, Annie Power is one of the most exciting horses in the world of National Hunt racing.
Winner of the Irish Mares Champion Hurdle and second in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham last year, speculation had been rife about what her plans for 2015 were.
However, trainer Willie Mullins has confirmed today that she won’t be tackling fences just yet.
Mullins told the Racing Post today: “We’ve decided that Annie Power will be campaigned over hurdles rather than fences this season. There are lots of opportunities for her over different distances – the OLBG Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham, which is now a Grade 1, being one of them.
“However, we’re not specifying any long-term targets for her at this stage. We’ll see how things go and she will have plenty of options through the season.
“While we were discussing what to do, we entered her up for a few races including the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle but there are no definite plans for her first run of the season just yet. We’ll wait until she is ready.”
The decision means that Annie Power is an even hotter favourite for the 2015 Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and you can even get a decent price for the World Hurdle 2015 (6/1 with Ladbrokes).
Last month Mullins said that he and the connections hadn’t decided what course of action to take for 2015: “We’ve still not made a decision on whether she stays over hurdles or goes over fences, but if she does remain hurdling then the fact that it (The Mares’ Hurdle) is now a Grade One would obviously make us think long and hard about her participation.”
We reckon you can pencil her in for that one right now so…
