Mystical Power and Mark Walsh © Photo Healy Racing
Annie Power's first foal Mystical Power today moved to the head of Cheltenham's Supreme Novices Hurdle antepost market following an impressive success in Punchestown's featured Grade 2 SkyBet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle.
By Galileo and bred by the Annie Power Partnership, Mystical Power is co-owned by Annie Power's racing-owner Rich Ricci, JP McManus and John Magnier with the five-year-old today having his first run since scoring at the Galway festival in July.
Racing keenly in last of the four runners, Mystical Power improved to lead before the final flight and quickened smartly under Mark Walsh to score by seven lengths.
Paddy Power later cut Mystical Power to 9/2 favourite (from 11s) for Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle, a race which his illustrious Champion Hurdle-winning dam bypassed in her own novice hurdle campaign.
Winning trainer Willie Mullins wasn't present for a race won previously by his high-achievers Douvan, Vautour, Mikael D'Haguenet, Min and Impaire Et Passe, and today assistant David Casey reported “I was very impressed with him, he wouldn't show that at home and seems to save his best for the track, which is a great trait.
“We were a little bit worried about the heavy ground as he's coming from a summer campaign but it looks like he went through it very well. We gave him a break after he had his couple of runs in the summer and brought him back to see if he would handle a winter campaign.
“Mark rode him a couple of weeks ago and thought he had improved hugely from when he had ridden him earlier in the year - he showed that today.
“At the moment you probably wouldn't go any further than two miles until you have to. Mark said he rides a lot quicker on the track than he does at home. I thought he showed a fair turn of foot there.
“I know the (McManus) camp have the second favourite (Jeriko Du Reponet) for the Supreme as well so they might want to split them up. We'll get him home, check him out and then Willie will decide plans in a couple of weeks.”
Regarding Mullins' Lombron which finished last, Casey said “Paul (Townend) said he was very babyish and thought he'd improve plenty for the experience. He thought it was a step up for him and he thought he was more a work in progress.”
Part-owner McManus' racing manager Frank Berry added “Mark said they didn't go mad early on but he quickened up well. Hopefully he'll have learned a little bit jumping-wise and you could only be very pleased with him.
“We didn't know coming here how he was going to cope with the ground but he coped with it quite well. He's keen and the small field suited to get him settled.”
Regarding Cheltenham plans, Berry added “the experience part of it would do him good but we'll leave that up to Willie.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
