Mullins set for Ascot Power play

Willie Mullins has given Annie Power the green light to take her chance in what promises to be a fascinating Coral Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

The exciting five-year-old stretched her unbeaten run to seven with a breathtaking Grade One victory at Fairyhouse in March and was the surprise name among seven entries for this weekend's Grade Two contest when they were published on Tuesday.

Annie Power now looks set to put that unblemished record on the line against the Paul Nicholls-trained Zarkandar, whose only defeat in five starts last season came when fourth behind the Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Mullins said: "It looks like we'll go to Ascot. She is well in herself and wherever we go we are going to meet something good so we think Ascot might be as good a starting point as any. The conditions of the race are also a good help as she only gets a half penalty."

Melodic Rendezvous could skip the race in favour of a trip to either Newbury or Newcastle next week.

Winner of three of his four starts over hurdles as a novice last season, Jeremy Scott's stable star made a brilliant return to action in the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton earlier this month and could instead take in either the Gerry Feilden Hurdle at Newbury on Thursday week or the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle two days later.

Scott said: "We put him in and I wouldn't mind just taking on Zarkandar, but I gather Willie Mullins is likely to bring his mare over as well. Wherever we go we are going to take on at least one very good horse, but I'd rather not take on three!

"The thinking of entering him on Saturday was that if Newcastle don't get the rain, the ground will be good for the Fighting Fifth and that would suit My Tent Or Yours.

"Annie Power is well suited by the conditions of the Ascot race and Zarkandar is as good a horse as there is over two miles and three furlongs, so we'll have to decide which way we're going to go.

"At this stage, I suspect we're probably leaning towards the Fighting Fifth, or there is the Gerry Feilden a couple of days earlier. We need to make a decision on whether we're going to Ascot as soon as possible so Nick (Scholfield, jockey) can make his own plans."