Faugheen set for hurdling campaign

Owner Rich Ricci has revealed Cheltenham and Punchestown Festival hero Faugheen will start over hurdles this season, but insists no decision has been made on whether Annie Power and Vautour will be kept to the smaller obstacles.

Faugheen was a brilliant winner of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park in March and was arguably even more impressive back over two miles at Punchestown.

Given the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old has also won over as far as three miles, all options appear to be open to him and Ricci admits it is difficult to know what distance he is likely to be campaigned over until plans have been made for his stable companions.

"Faugheen jumps hurdles," Ricci said.

"If they (Annie Power and Vautour) jumped (fences) I think it's pretty clear, given that performance at Punchestown, the Champion Hurdle would be Faugheen's target, but it depends what we do with those two."

Vautour annihilated his opponents in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham before also following up at Punchestown, this time over a longer trip.

Remarkable mare Annie Power has won 11 of her 12 races to date, suffering her only defeat when runner-up in Cheltenham's World Hurdle behind More Of That, and Ricci admits it is difficult to decide how to split his aces.

"We haven't made a decision about Vautour and Annie Power yet. If we kept those two hurdling, it might be a different story as to who might go where," said Ricci.

"What Vautour did last year at Cheltenham, to me that was the most impressive performance all season from any novice hurdler, but he also looks the part of a chaser. That one's in the balance.

"We all think he's a chaser, no doubt about it, but it's hard to get that race at Cheltenham out of your mind."

As is the case with Vautour, Annie Power's long-term future is thought to lie over the larger obstacles.

However, as she is a year older than her stablemate, the question is whether to go straight over fences now or wait until next season, meaning she could potentially end up at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival as an eight-year-old novice chaser.

"I'm puzzled by what to do with Annie Power, I have to say," said Ricci.

"I wouldn't rule out hurdling this season and going novice chasing next season, but you probably wouldn't want to be trying to win the Gold Cup at nine or 10 (years of age), so we'll have to see where we go with her."

Ricci also confirmed dual Cheltenham Festival winner Champagne Fever was likely to test his powers over longer trips this year, with the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day identified as a target.

The Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury is a possible option for Djakadam, while Pont Alexandre and Clondaw Court are both back in training after lengthy spells on the sidelines with injury.