Annie Power pops the last at Fairyhouse© Photo Healy Racing
Annie Power showed her class when destroying her five rivals in the two and a half mile Grade 1 mares hurdle championship final at Fairyhouse.
The mare, who was winning her seventh race in a row, was tackling the trip for the first time, but the result was never in doubt. Top Madam took the small field along from the front while Ruby Walsh sat in rear on the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old.
After the third last Walsh manoeuvred his mare easily to the front and she literally powered away from her toiling competitors.
Only Glens Melody also trained by Mullins, was able to set off in pursuit, but at the finishing line she was some 12 lengths in arrears.
Annie Power had been backed solidly all day from her opening price of 1/2 and eventually went off 2/7 favourite.
This was her first venture into a Grade 1, having comfortably won a Grade 2 at Naas in February.
Trainer Willie Mullins said: “She is what I said she could be, but I still don’t know how good she is. She might go for the Grade 1 at Punchestown.
“She’s starting to show what she shows at home. She’s a good mare and keeps improving. She could be anything. I don’t know how much is left in the tank.
“She did it so easy. Ruby said she idled a bit in front. I didn’t think two and a half miles would be a problem, but I didn’t think it would bring about the improvement she showed.
“She could easily come back in trip. It looked a slow pace. The faster it got the better she got and the better her jumping got.
“I loved her the first day I saw Patrick ride her in a bumper. I was taken with her size and scope and she had a lovely pedigree. I thought she could go the whole way.
“I set about buying her. It took a bit of work to prise her off Jim Bolger, but he’s not too interested in jumping so that made the job easier.
“Quevega is a lovely placid mare, but this mare acts more like a race mare and is more hyperactive.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
