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Annie heads powerful Mullins P'town team

Annie PowerAnnie Power
© Healy Racing Photos

Annie Power is set to make her eagerly-awaited reappearance at the Punchestown Festival after over a year off the track.

The brilliant mare was last seen when winning the Aintree Hurdle last April and was unable to defend her Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham last month due to a knee ligament injury.

She has three options at Punchestown - the three-mile Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle, the two-mile Betdaq Punchestown Champion Hurdle and the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle over two and a half miles.

"Annie Power is in good order and she is working well in preparation for Punchestown. We're very happy to have her back obviously and looking forward to seeing her out again," said Mullins.

"She's very adaptable and has top-class form over a variety of trips. Consequently she holds entries in the Champion Hurdle over two miles, the Mares Champion Hurdle over two and a half and the Champion Stayers Hurdle over three miles so we'll decide on her target next week."

Alongside Annie Power, Mullins has his usual formidable team of mares, including the progressive Let's Dance, winner of the Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

She is likely to stick to novice company at Punchestown, while the gutsy Vroum Vroum Mag has an array of possible targets, with her entries including the Coral Punchestown Gold Cup and BoyleSports Champion Chase over fences.

"Whilst Let's Dance is in the Mares Champion Hurdle, it probably makes sense to stick to novice company with her this season and so the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles or the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle over three miles are the more likely options for her," said Mullins.

"Vroum Vroum Mag is so versatile she could go anywhere. She holds an entry in both the Champion Chase and the Punchestown Gold Cup over fences, but at this stage we'll probably stick to hurdles with her for Punchestown so we'll pick between the Betdaq Champion Hurdle, the Stayers Hurdle and the Mares Champion.

"But last year's winner Whiteout will definitely attempt to retain her title in the Mares Champion Hurdle."