Mullins hopeful of Power's stamina

Annie Power faces her acid test, as well as an examination of her reserves of stamina, when she puts her unbeaten record on the line in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Willie Mullins' six-year-old mare made it 10 from 10 over an extended two miles at Doncaster on her most recent appearance and takes in the stayers' championship instead of the Champion Hurdle.

"Everything is fine, she's travelled over well. She's running over three miles for the first time. We're hoping she'll stay. I don't expect her to have any problem with the drying conditions," said Mullins.

If anyone knows of potential weak links in chief market rival Big Buck's armour then it is Annie Power's jockey Ruby Walsh, who rode the Nicholls horse to his four World Hurdle triumphs.

He said of Annie Power: "She's a very good mare. She has lots of potential, she has pace and oodles of stamina and we haven't got to the bottom of her. Her form is solid, she's beaten Zarkandar twice in England this year and then won over two miles at Doncaster. Fingers crossed the real Annie Power will show up."

At the start of the season, At Fishers Cross was the one widely tipped to succeed Big Buck's as the champion after his victory in the Albert Bartlett last March.

He disappointed in the first half of the campaign, but did have valid reasons for performing below par and showed he was on the way back when finishing ahead of Big Buck's when a close second to Knockara Beau in the Cleeve.

"I don't think he was right for his first couple of runs this season. I know he's had his well-documented physical problems but he was beaten a mile out at Ascot (in the Long Walk)," said his trainer Rebecca Curtis.

"We had something going through the yard and I think he was affected. He's come right now, though, so you could say his run in the Cleeve was his first proper run of the season and with that in mind I think there is room for improvement.

"He wants better ground than it was for the Cleeve but they all will, it was filthy. He went on good ground at Aintree so I'm not bothered what it's like really. He's in great form. It's going to be a tough race, but he's as good as we've ever had him. Hopefully he'll run well."

His rider Tony McCoy is also optimistic of a good run, writing in his Cheltenham blog: "I felt At Fishers Cross was much more like his old self at Cheltenham on Trials Day, and while he needs to step up again things are going the right way.

"Rebecca Curtis has been very happy with him since and believes he has turned a corner. I think Big Buck's is the one we have to beat because of the way the race is going to be run and Annie Power will have to prove that she really stays - and she will really need to stay.

"It would be different if Big Buck's was going out there on his own as he would have to make it a test of stamina but he is going to plenty of help on that score (with three stablemates)."

McCoy chose At Fishers Cross over owner JP McManus's other runner More Of That. Though he is untested over this distance, his trainer Jonjo O'Neill believes his stamina will last out and he has won all his four starts to date.

"He's in grand form, he has not run over trip, which has to be a slight concern in your mind and he hasn't got a lot of experience - he does leave his hind legs behind over hurdles and you can't do that in a Grade One," said the Jackdaws Castle handler.

"His run at Cheltenham was very good, he's an up-and-coming horse. I think he'll get the trip but you never know until you run them."

Mala Beach was a good winner of the Grade Two Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran in January and his trainer Gordon Elliott sees the six-year-old as a horse for the future.

"Mala Beach had a good run at Christmas and then a good run at Gowran. He's an out-and-out galloper really, a big staying chaser in the making," said the County Meath handler.

"We said at the start of the year we'd mind him for next year which is what we've done. Every horse in the race has niggly doubts, I suppose Annie Power is the one everyone is afraid of."