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Willie in undecided shocker 
Willie Mullins remains in no rush to decide on the likely Punchestown Festival target of brilliant mare Annie Power.
Ireland's champion trainer faced a similar quandary ahead of last month's Cheltenham Festival with his then unbeaten six-year-old, before eventually deciding to run over three miles for the first time in the World Hurdle instead of running in either the Champion Hurdle or the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.
Annie Power suffered her first defeat in 11 starts, finding More Of That too strong up the famous Cheltenham hill, and she is entered in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle, the Racing Post Champion Hurdle and the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders' Fund Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown next week.
Mullins told At The Races: "She ran into a cracker (in More Of That), I'd say. People probably don't appreciate how good he is.
"We probably ran a little bit free, which is not the ideal way for a three-mile horse.
"She's in Champion Hurdle, she's in the stayers' hurdle and she's in the mares' hurdle. We won't make any decision until we have to."
While the champion trainer is keeping his cards close to his chest, he did hint the World Series Hurdle, a race in which incredible stable companion Quevega looks set to bid for a remarkable fifth consecutive victory, was Annie Power's least likely option of the three.
Mullins said: "I think she can go any trip. We would probably ride her a bit different over three miles. Her method of racing probably suggests a shorter trip than three might be better."
Asked whether she could clash with Quevega, he said: "I wouldn't think it's necessary, so we'll probably keep them apart."
Mullins has also yet to decide whether to let Un De Sceaux line up in the Racing Post Champion Hurdle, where he would meet another stable companion in Hurricane Fly, who will be bidding for his fifth straight victory in the race.
Mullins said: "At the moment we've no real plan. Let's see what happens when they've their final bits of work done and let's see what happens when we know what the opposition is going to be in the different races.
"I liked the way he (Un De Sceaux) jumped those French hurdles, which leads you to believe he could be a fantastic jumper over fences. We're looking at targets back in France for him as well."
Willie Mullins remains in no rush to decide on the likely Punchestown Festival target of brilliant mare Annie Power.
Ireland's champion trainer faced a similar quandary ahead of last month's Cheltenham Festival with his then unbeaten six-year-old, before eventually deciding to run over three miles for the first time in the World Hurdle instead of running in either the Champion Hurdle or the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.
Annie Power suffered her first defeat in 11 starts, finding More Of That too strong up the famous Cheltenham hill, and she is entered in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle, the Racing Post Champion Hurdle and the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders' Fund Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown next week.
Mullins told At The Races: "She ran into a cracker (in More Of That), I'd say. People probably don't appreciate how good he is.
"We probably ran a little bit free, which is not the ideal way for a three-mile horse.
"She's in Champion Hurdle, she's in the stayers' hurdle and she's in the mares' hurdle. We won't make any decision until we have to."
While the champion trainer is keeping his cards close to his chest, he did hint the World Series Hurdle, a race in which incredible stable companion Quevega looks set to bid for a remarkable fifth consecutive victory, was Annie Power's least likely option of the three.
Mullins said: "I think she can go any trip. We would probably ride her a bit different over three miles. Her method of racing probably suggests a shorter trip than three might be better."
Asked whether she could clash with Quevega, he said: "I wouldn't think it's necessary, so we'll probably keep them apart."
Mullins has also yet to decide whether to let Un De Sceaux line up in the Racing Post Champion Hurdle, where he would meet another stable companion in Hurricane Fly, who will be bidding for his fifth straight victory in the race.
Mullins said: "At the moment we've no real plan. Let's see what happens when they've their final bits of work done and let's see what happens when we know what the opposition is going to be in the different races.
"I liked the way he (Un De Sceaux) jumped those French hurdles, which leads you to believe he could be a fantastic jumper over fences. We're looking at targets back in France for him as well."
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