Mullins sends five for Champion but Annie set for Saturday date

Annie Power is likely to make her final racecourse appearance in Saturday's Grade 1 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown after not featuring among the declarations for Friday's Betdaq Punchestown Champion Hurdle.

The nine-year-old has not run since winning at Aintree last year and was recently revealed to be in foal to Camelot.

Her trainer Willie Mullins runs five in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle, headed by County Hurdle winner Arctic Fire. Vroum Vroum Mag, Diakali, Ivan Grozny and Wicklow Brave are set to run as well.

Labaik is also due to line up, but whether he consents to jump off is another matter. He virtually refused to race in Tuesday's Champion Novice Hurdle before completing a distance behind his rivals and will wear a visor for the first time.

Ten runners are set to contest the other Grade 1 on Friday's card, the Tattersalls Ireland Champion Novice Hurdle, with Mullins responsible for four of them.

Cheltenham Festival winner Let's Dance heads the quartet with Kemboy, Bleu Berry and Bacardys joining her. Gordon Elliott has given Death Duty and Runfordave the go-ahead. Finian's Oscar will get the chance to add one final Grade 1 to Colin Tizzard's superb haul this season.

The going on Wednesday evening was good to yielding, with the cross country course good to firm.