Annie cruises in on return

"She was good. She was quite worked up — revved up — before the race, but she went about her business well," said Ruby Walsh after Annie Power returned with a 1/20 demolition of her couple of opponents in the punchestown.com Mares Hurdle.

"She jumped super. She only did what she had to do. Willie's intention was probably to bring her for a bit of work here on Friday at the schooling races but he decided to run her here," added Walsh.

"She's a very, very good mare.

"I think you could have put the hood on me for all the effect it had on her.

"She was quite worked up at the start but look it's her first run in a long time and she's entitled to be fresh."

Annie Power made all and she was never seriously threatened to account for Legacy Gold and Melbourne Lady by six and a half lengths and two and a quarter lengths.

"That went according to plan. She was keen but they tend to be when they are on their own. She was fine (with the hood) but is always going to be fresh on her first run back. I don't know if she will wear a hood the next time. It depends on where she will run," stated Mullins.

"I will have a chat with the owner and see how she comes out of the race, and see how much more work we can get into her. It was good to get that run and we have a month to Cheltenham.

"I don't know which race she will go for but we will keep all options open. We have a lot of training to do in the next four weeks. That was really like a schooling session but it was what she needed rather than a race at the moment. We can step up her work now.

"I wouldn't rule out the Champion Hurdle. It's not often I miss an entry at Cheltenham! That could happen as the balls are bouncing a bit different today. We'll see how she progresses.

"I always thought she was a 2m4f mare, that's the distance that she could really shine. But she has enough speed to go back to two miles."

On Faugheen he said: "We were starting back his countdown to Cheltenham. We had given him a nice easy time after Leopardstown, and since we started back there was a little bit of soreness in his suspensory ligament. I gave him a few easy days and we went back at it again, and it flared up again yesterday morning which we confirmed this morning.

"It's a small injury but just bad timing, a bit like Hurricane Fly was when he missed Cheltenham. The prognosis is very good but I don't think we are going to have him back for Punchestown. So we will just call it quits for this season, and hopefully come back 100 per cent next season.

"We have a very good record with putting that type of injury back without recurring. Of course it can always recur but, from what we can see on a scanner, it's very slight and not a bad injury but just the wrong timing. It really needs eight or nine weeks rest, and that would be plenty, unfortunately that rules out all of the rest of the National Hunt season. Our vet tells me he will be back 100 per cent after it.

"We still have Arctic Fire Nichols Canyon and Sempre Medici for the Champion."

On hearing that Annie Power is 2/1 favourite (non-runner no-bet) for the Champion Hurdle he said "It looks like we will have to supplement her then. That's interesting. The other horses are racing fit but she is not racing fit. You would love to get another run but there isn't time."

Powers and Betfair are 2/1 favourite non-runner no-bet Annie Power for the Champion Hurdle.

Betfair are 5/2 from 3/1 Annie Power non-runner, no-bet for the World Hurdle.

They go 5/6 for the mares hurdle.

(AM & EM)