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Min is 4/6 in the betting without Altior market. That’s a great price for anyone throwing a few trebles together.
Ruby making comparisons between Min and Kauto. I think the Ankle is gonna be a cracker this year. It has been a glorified coronation the last few years but it’s the race I’m looking forward to the most.
There seems to be 4 mares that stick out for Willie Mullins in the Mares Novice Hurdle division;
Airlie Beach; 6/6 over hurdles including a Grade 1 win against Saturnas and Penhill
Augusta Kate; 1/1 over hurdles that was over 3 miles (could go Albert Bartlett)
Let’s Dance; 2/2 over hurdles this season running 2 mile 2 f and 2 mile 4 f
Asthuria; one win and one fall from 2 startsLets Dance could be good enough for The Neptune and Augusta Kate may go to The Albert Bartlett. Airlie Beach looks a great horse and could probably go to The Supreme but I think this is the only race she has an entire in and she is the 10/3 fav as of now. Given that this is 2m 1F I can see Willie leaving this to Airlie Beach and Asthuria
I agree with that.
Let’s dance goes to mares hurdle for me. Annie goes to champion and wins. Faugheen if fit to world hurdle.Lets Dance is a Novice Hurdler so I can’t see her going to The Mares. She will most likely go to The Neptune or Mares Novice Hurdle. Airlie Beach and Asthuria will most likely line up for The Mare’s Novice Hurdle because they are suited to 2 mile 1F; Augusta Kate and Lets Dance seem to be stayers..
It’s really difficult to see where all that strength in depth will end up.
Ricci is on record (for what thats worth) saying Annie will defend her title if she is fit. To me that means they are thinking along the lines of Annie to the CH, Vroum Vroum to the Mares and Faugheen to The World Hurdle. The other scenario, if Annie is not firing on all cylinders, would be Faugheen goes CH and Annie goes Mares and Vroum to the World Hurdle. I think the above are the only two permutations if all 3 horses stay fit.
I really like Yanworth. Think the fact he stays further than two miles is in his favour and neither Annie power or Faugheen have done anything this season.
Annie is never usually out this early. They like to wrap her in cotton wool for whatever reason. She will have a run in February and then will go to defend her title in March. If Willie is concerned that she is not at her best then she will be heading to The Mares. This will definitely be her last year racing.
Faugheen is coming back from injury and we should see him at the Irish Champion Hurdle at the end of the month.
The only Grade 1 Novice Hurdle in Ireland before the Festival takes place in Naas this Saturday. Whoever Ruby Walsh is on for that should be worth a small bet for The Neptune although saying that Bellshill won it last year and ended up in The Supreme but I think that’s because he was considered weaker than Yorkhill and Min by the second week in March
Mullins has 5 entries but you can be sure only 1 will turn up (maybe 2 max)
Turcagua, Lets Dance and Riven Light are the Ricci horses..
Invitation Only and Crack Mome are entered for WileyDoubt Lets Dance and Riven Light will run as they only ran last week; will be interesting to see who turns up..
The problem with Vroum Vroum Mag is she is viewed by Ricci/Mullins as the Super Sub and she could/will go anywhere.
I would say if all horses are fit the following will happen.
Annie Power to Champion Hurdle – Ricci said she will defend her crown if fit. No mare has ever won it twice so there’s a shot at history
Faugheen was entered in that 3 mile hurdle (the one Vroum Vroum won) but he wasn’t deemed ready. I reckon they will aim Faugheen at The World Hurdle. He has the entry in The Irish Champion Hurdle over 2 miles later this month but that’s just because they wont be risking Annie. Annie didn’t appear until Feb last year and only raced 3 times (they wrap her in cotton wool)
Vroum Vroum to The Mares because Willie will want to win it and will not want Gigginstown/Elliot taking it with Apples Jade. Having trained Apples Jade Willie will know only Vroum or Annie can beat her.
Things change and if a slot opened up in another race, like The World Hurdle, Vroum Vroum could fill in but from what I have heard so far I think the above is the plan for the Mullins Hurdlers.
From a Rich Ricci view point his two best Novice Chasers are Min and American Tom and Richi has said Min for The Arkle and American Tom for The JLT. Graham Wiley, on the other hand, will have Yorkhill and Bellshill as his best. From a Willie Mullins viewpoint he will want to try and win all 3 Novice Chases.
Bellshill looks like the stayer of the bunch so I think it’s fair enough to assume RSA for him and Ricci has already said American Tom for the JLT and Min for The Arkle. I think Yorkhill’s destination will come down to Willie and who out of Min and American Tom he trusts most to get the job done.
Willie will know if Yorkhill could take Min over 2 miles and he will know if he could take American Tom over 2 and a half miles. The ground could play a factor also. if it’s good then the pace of the JLT will suit Yorkhill, however if it’s soft maybe he’d be more suited to The Arkle. Am I unfairly disregarding any other Mullin’s Novice Chaser in the above analysis? Maybe I am…
