'He blew me away' - aura around Annie Power's son grows with easy Galway hurdle victory

The aura bestowed upon Mystical Power by virtue of his celebrity parents, champions both, is beginning to be strengthened by the four-year-old's performances on the track, the latest of which opened the 2023 Galway races.

Annie Power's first foal defied greenness, taking a keen hold early on and racing in snatches to win the Galwaybayhotel.com and the Galmont Novice Hurdle for Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh and one of the most powerful ownership teams ever assembled in National Hunt racing; that of JP McManus in whose silks he raced, Sue Magnier and Susannah Ricci.

By the sire phenomenon Galileo, Mystical Power was sent off 6-4 favourite to make a winning debut over hurdles and favourite backers would have endured some nervy moments until the approach to the penultimate hurdle, when Walsh extricated the chestnut from the pocket he was in and Mystical Power moved ominously well to the outside. He took control going to the last and easily extended the lead on the run to the line, having seven lengths over Samui in second, with another four and three-quarters back to Mercury Mission in third.

It is very early days but bookmakers were quickly out of the blocks and offered quotes of around 16-1 for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and 20-1 for the Ballymore.

The style of Mystical Power's victory compared to his more workmanlike debut success had Mullins impressed as he told Racing TV afterwards.

"He blew me away," said the trainer. "I imagine if he hadn't run in Ballinrobe, everyone would have come here today and everyone would have been wowed by him first time out over hurdles. 

"That was a different calibre of performance today. Perhaps going to Ballinrobe first time out, that's 150 miles from our place and the travel, spending the day up there, that can all unsettle some horses and maybe that's what happened to him. 

Mystical Power and Mark Walsh en route to winning at Galway Credit: Patrick McCann

"He got the job done but wasn't impressive, we were even disappointed from his homework to what he showed in Ballinrobe, but today he showed us more than he has ever shown us at home, which is good."

Heightening anticipation even further, Mullins added: "He obviously likes jumping, he made three or four mistakes but there was never any doubt about him falling or anything, he found a leg. Enda Bolger did a lot of schooling with him at home and Enda said he was very good, any bits of schooling we did with him, we were always happy, and I think there is a lot more to come."

Bred by the Annie Power Partnership, he made a winning debut in a Ballinrobe bumper at the end of May and, as the first foal of the Champion Hurdle heroine who was beaten just once in 16 completed starts, his life has been the subject of intense interest from the moment his birth was announced. 

The five-time Grade 1 winner has produced a three-year-old full-brother to Mystical Power and she has two-year-old and yearling sons by another Coolmore Derby winner in Camelot. Her breeding career took a diversion away from the top-class Flat sires last year as she was sent to Coolmore's leading National Hunt sire Walk In The Park.

Annie Power signed off on a brilliant racing career with victory in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle and the daughter of Shirocco hails from an outstanding German family that has achieved global success. Her second dam Anna Paola won the Preis der Diana and founded a dynasty at stud, where her Group 1-winning descendants include Anna Monda, Ave, Billesdon Brook, Epaulette, Helmet and National Defense.

Expectations for Mystical Power's career will be even higher following the way he extended his unbeaten sequence but the four-year-old has at least emulated his brilliant dam in one achievement - a Galway victory. Annie Power's road to glory began with a debut success in a bumper at the meeting 11 years ago for Jim Bolger and Patrick Mullins.

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'It's very exciting to have him here' - Annie Power's first foal makes winning start at Ballinrobe