Harry Fry filled with anticipation as Anno Power secured Aintree berth following a dazzling outing at Ascot last Saturday.
Esteemed by her mentor, the five-year-old faced a narrow defeat in her maiden race against Ben Pauling's Dunskay but redeemed herself in spectacular fashion as the 5-4 favourite for the British EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Struggling with eagerness in her debut, she was guided with patience by Jonathan Burke at Ascot, needing to surpass the entire field before her rider spurred her on within the last two furlongs.
She accelerated remarkably, overtaking competitors one by one, crossing the finish line nearly three lengths ahead of the Karl Burke-trained Nala The Lioness.
Anno Power will be reserved for the Grade Two Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race on the inaugural day of the Aintree Grand National Festival (April 11), a competition triumphed by Ashroe Diamond (2022) and Dysart Enos (2023) in the preceding years.
“We're brimming with excitement for her, and truthfully, I was somewhat disheartened when she was defeated on her debut at Exeter,”
Fry expressed.
“She exhibited signs of over-racing that day and was trailing against a horse from Ben Pauling's stable who triumphed again recently with a penalty and seems to be a promising young contender. It transformed into a fierce contest down the straight at Exeter, which wasn't advantageous for us, but it provided us with valuable insights into her abilities.
“Competing against mares for the first time last Saturday, it was crucial for us to ensure she remained composed to secure an opportunity, hence the reason Johnny adopted a cautious approach.
“We aimed to educate her with future prospects in mind, emphasising the importance of settling down. If she possessed the potential we believe she has, then when he urged her on turning the corner, we'd determine her capability to seize victory - and the manner in which she did so was incredibly thrilling.
“It was truly impressive witnessing her overtake the field in such a manner, accelerating and maintaining the pace right up to the finish line and beyond.
“I was overjoyed to witness her progress and now we can anticipate her participation in the Grade Two mares’ bumper at Aintree on the opening day of the Grand National gathering. That will likely conclude her season, paving the way for her to transition into a promising novice hurdler for the following season”.