The unbeaten Champion Hurdle dark horse who Willie Mullins says is 'something special'

Willie Mullins has described Anzadam as "something special" and could give the unbeaten four-year-old a chance to prove his Champion Hurdle credentials in the International Hurdle on Trials day at Cheltenham in January, a race won last year by the mighty Lossiemouth.

Anzadam is owned by Joe Donnelly, who also has State Man and Sir Gino in the Champion Hurdle mix, but such was the impression he created on his Irish debut at Fairyhouse on Saturday that Mullins is already mentioning some big targets for his French recruit.

Anzadam sprinted clear of Kala Conti in the closing stages of the Grade 3 WillowWarm Hurdle and Paul Townend took an age to pull him up afterwards. He is now priced between 20-1 and 40-1 for the Champion Hurdle and could be pencilled in for a trip to Cheltenham before then.

Willie Mullins: "I didn't know what was going to happen on Saturday to be honest, and was very pleasantly surprised with what he did"Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Of Anzadam, Mullins said: "He looks something special. I couldn't get him out last season, his form in France was good. I didn't know what was going to happen on Saturday to be honest, and was very pleasantly surprised with what he did. It was just an awesome performance."

He added: "He'll be turning five and has to take on Grade 1 horses now. It's going to be difficult to find where we're going to produce him next, but the International Hurdle at Cheltenham could be an option."

Townend was also seriously impressed by the performance, and said: "Obviously he wears the hood and was keen in France, so I was anxious to get him to settle first, but he actually settled brilliantly. He's been forward at home but did everything really well. I wasn't going to light him up, I let them come around me down around the bottom. When I pulled him out he flew and it took a long time to pull him up."

Anzadam, a son of Authorized, is a half-brother to a winner of a French hurdle and chase and won both his hurdle races in France at Bordeaux and Compiegne for Arnaud Chaille-Chaille before being snapped up by Mullins.

He received a Racing Post rating of 150 for his extraordinary performance on Saturday, which is only 6lb shy of the rating given to Sir Gino for his victory in the Fighting Fifth. The Mullins-trained Mystical Power was disappointing sixth in that race and is now out to 33-1 for the Champion Hurdle.

Of Mystical Power, Mullins said: "He jumped the first well, didn’t like the second and from then on he was never travelling."

Unibet Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 11)

Paddy Power: 6-4 Lossiemouth, 4 Sir Gino, 9-2 Constitution Hill, State Man, 12 Brighterdaysahead, 33 Mystical Power, 40 Anzadam, Burdett Road, Marine Nationale, 50 bar.

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