Annie headlines all-star Aintree Hurdle Willie Mullins has made good on his promise to throw plenty of darts at the Grand National meeting, with Annie Power one of four top-class entries in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle on Thursday. Mullins has around £150,000 to find to trump Paul Nicholls in the race to be champion trainer in Britain and with neither holding obvious claims in the National itself, the Grade One races are where it is likely to be won. Annie Power, supplemented for the Champion Hurdle in the absence of the previous year's winner and stablemate Faugheen, would arguably be running over her favourite trip of two and a half miles. She could be joined by Nichols Canyon, Sempre Medici or even Vroum Vroum Mag. Nicholls has a strong contender himself in Aux Ptits Soins, who travelled well for a long way in the World Hurdle, his first race since winning the Coral Cup last season. Camping Ground, Diamond King, Identity Thief, Cheltenham runner-up My Tent Or Yours and previous winner The New One are also among a 12-strong field.
