Robin to enjoy deserved break Colin Bowe plans to give Little King Robin a well-deserved break before gearing up for Cheltenham after his stable star picked up minor honours in last weekend's Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse. The admirable front-running mare has been one of the success stories of the jumping scene in recent months, winning seven times over hurdles in 2014 including the Grade Two WKD Hurdle at Down Royal at the start of last month. She was no match for Hurricane Fly and Jezki in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, but ran creditably to finish third, and filled the same position at Grade One level once again last Sunday. Bowe feels his stable star did not run up to her best and will give her some time off before building her up for the OLBG Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. "She went home on Monday morning. We were conscious of the race being one too many. It wasn't the plan and we weren't going to run. We declared just in case and when Annie Power came out our hand was forced a little bit. It was probably a race too many," said the trainer. "She won a Grade Two and was placed in a Grade One and a part from being a long season, she wants a bit of nice ground, she's a good-ground filly. She just bounces off fast ground and hung a little bit in the straight the last day . "She will come back in January and the plan would be to go for the mares' race at Cheltenham, probably off the back of a racecourse gallop."
