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Annie Power to provide Walsh with Aintree Hurdle boost

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Ruby Walsh celebrating on Annie Power

Annie Power: storms up the Cheltenham hill to win the Champion Hurdle

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  

 By tony o’hehir  2:47PM 6 APR 2016 

THE Aintree Hurdle has not been a happy hunting ground for Ruby Walsh in recent years, but the rider is hoping for better fortune on Thursday aboard impressive Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power, who is set to go off as a short-priced favourite against five rivals.

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Ruby Walsh has suffered a fall three of the last five times he has ridden in the Aintree Hurdle, including when looking set to win before crashing through the final flight on Arctic Fire last year.

He also had to miss out on riding in the Grand National in 2010 and 2012 because of the injuries he sustained after falling from Celestial Halo and Zarkandar in the 2m4f contest.

Strong favourite

Walsh is unlikely to have too many concerns about a tumble in this year’s race, however, as a fantastic round of slick jumping was a notable aspect of Annie Power’s performance at Cheltenham, when she was not hard pressed to win by four and a half lengths.

Jezki-360

Arctic Fire: crashes out at the last in the Aintree Hurdle

  PICTURE: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)  

Court Minstrel, who is the lowest-rated horse in Thursday’s field, is the only horse in the race who did not run in the Champion Hurdle, and Annie Power has been installed as the 4-7 favourite to win the Doom Bar-sponsored prize, which is one of four Grade 1s at Aintree on Thursday.

Quick turnaround

Annie Power has already proven fully effective over the 2m4f trip of the Aintree Hurdle, so the only slight doubt at the back of Walsh’s mind is the quick turnaround from her win at Cheltenham just over three weeks ago.

“The trip and the ground won’t be a problem for her. She’s seemed fine since Cheltenham but you never know how they’ve got over a race until they go back to the track,” Walsh said, who has won the race four times but just once since 2006 – courtesy of Zarkandar in 2013.

 

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