12/02/2025 11:25
Kempton
Brasil Power, Hieronymus, Vibrato, Daring Legend, Billy Mill, Follow Your Heart, Revolutionise, Arctician, Bell Shot
W1

7.5

W2

17

More
Kempton
12/02/2025 11:25
Brasil Power, Hieronymus, Vibrato, Daring Legend, Billy Mill, Follow Your Heart, Revolutionise, Arctician, Bell Shot
W1

7.5

W2

17

More
  1. Home
  2. /
    News
  3. /
    Mystical Power brought a win in the Cheltenham Festival
Mystical Power brought a win in the Cheltenham Festival
Mystical Power brought a win in the Cheltenham Festival. Source: independent.ie

Mystical Power brought a win in the Cheltenham Festival

In the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, Mystical Power finished with a flourish to reverse her form from the Cheltenham Festival against Slade Steel.

Midway through the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in mid-March, Henry de Bromhead's Slade Steel outran the Willie Mullins-trained Mystical Power, after the latter had performed better in Grade One company at Aintree.

In the betting for the homecoming rematch, there wasn't much differentiating the two, but Mystical Power was the slight favourite at 2-1 and eventually exacted his revenge.

Danny Mullins' Ile Atlantique led the longer two-mile race at a strong gallop from the start, but as they raced down the back straight, both he and Tullyhill, the closest pursuer, backpedalled quickly, changing the nature of the race.

Arriving on the scene, Slade Steel seemed to be going best around the last bend. However, once pressure mounted, he found disappointingly little for Rachael Blackmore. Meanwhile, Mystical Power, a son of Galileo and the legendary racemare Annie Power, powered home from further back under Mark Walsh's guidance to win by a length and three-quarters.

After finishing second to Mystical Power at Aintree and third in the Supreme, Firefox ran a strong race to split the market leaders in second place.

“He showed resilience and toughness today, he’s been improving all season,” Mullins said of the winner. “I didn’t think we had much chance at the second-last and Mark said he was going as fast as he could coming around the last bend. The race turned into a staying race, with the other two protagonists playing their cards going to the last, they were flat out and he just outstayed them with a good jump at the last. It’s fantastic that he’s progressed as the season has gone on and I think Annie Power is coming out in him.”

When asked if Mystical Power would have a Champion Hurdle campaign next season, he added: “There is a lot of thinking to do between now and then but you’d certainly have to look at that. I don’t think he’ll go novice chasing, as he looks more of a hurdler than a chaser. He could easily step up on the trip watching that performance today. Mark said he found it tough with the amount of speed that was in the early part of the race. It looked like a real staying race there today, which would mean that he’s a two-and-a-half-mile hurdler and they are the sort of horses you probably need to win a Champion Hurdle, so maybe it’s all pointing in that direction.”

Get the latest news to your inbox
Subscribe to the newsletter
We value your privacy and promise not to distribute your email to third parties