Anzadam sees off his two rivals in effortless style at Naas - but his Champion Hurdle odds are unchanged

Anzadam remains a best-priced 10-1 for the Champion Hurdle after passing his latest exam in style, putting his two rivals to the sword in giving Willie Mullins his fifth winner in the last six runnings of this Grade 3 race.

But the champion trainer expressed doubt about whether the Cheltenham Festival was on the five-year-old's target list this season.

Saturday's Grade 2 Unibet Hurdle was just a piece of work for Constitution Hill and this was a similar experience for Anzadam, although more noteworthy as his quality was more unknown.

It was fully expected they would not go much of a gallop but Paul Townend's decision to ride the 1-10 favourite from the back of the three-runner field was possibly less expected. It made the performance more impressive.

Pictures courtesy of racingtv.com

As the veteran stayer Beacon Edge led the once-raced second favourite Laafi for much of the way, Anzadam lobbed around behind them, putting in a good round of jumping and settling well.

When Townend asked him to increase speed turning in he simply breezed past them, showing a telling turn of foot to extend his advantage all the way to the line to win by 11 lengths. Beacon Edge got up on the line to edge out Laafi for second spot.

Willie Mullins: bagged a short-priced treble at Cork on Friday

Willie Mullins: "We will have to work on his enthusiasm"Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Mullins said: “He's only five and I'm not sure whether he should be taking on Constitution Hill in a Champion Hurdle at this stage. I'm thinking whether we should wait for the 2m4f Grade 1 at Aintree for him.

"My main doubt about that though is that he might be too keen for the trip. We'll see how he comes out of the race. I think he'll stay, but we will have to work on his enthusiasm. He's a very nice horse to have. Hopefully, he can stay sound and hopefully he can keep improving.”

Whether Anzadam goes to Cheltenham or not, winning owners Joe and Marie Donnelly will still have reigning champion State Man to fall back on.

Whether Townend has a selection headache remains to be seen. He said: “I went out with the opinion that if he is to be the horse we hope he will be, that he should be able to pick these up from the back.

"He has plenty of pace. We went slow early but he has huge scope and came out of my hands a couple of times, and I think he's better on the racecourse than what he shows at home. The dream is alive and we'll go again.”

Expert analysis: 'Aintree talk must mean Champion Hurdle is unlikely'

By David Jennings, deputy Ireland editor

You get the impression Anzadam might just have given Willie Mullins a first-world problem he didn’t really want.

Anzadam is in the ‘could be anything’ camp and nobody has a clue how good he is. It would be lovely to think we will find out in the Champion Hurdle in just over six weeks' time but, by the sound of things, we definitely won’t.

If Anzadam was in any other yard, it would be impossible to resist a crack at Constitution Hill given the pizzazz of his last two performances, but Mullins is already talking of Aintree so you couldn’t even contemplate backing him for the Champion Hurdle at 10-1. It sounds like he is 10-1 to even run in the race and, of course, Marie and Joe Donnelly have State Man. The Irish Champion Hurdle next Sunday could make the Anzadam picture a bit clearer.

While backing Anzadam for the Champion Hurdle doesn’t appeal, the 6-1 still available about Bioluminescence for the Mares' Chase does.

She was giving leading Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase contender Dancing City 1lb in the Grade 3 novice chase and acquitted herself really well. She’s a natural jumper and looks the one to beat. Gavin Cromwell, who won the Mares' Chase last year with Limerick Lace, also has Only By Night but Bioluminescence is the one I prefer at the moment.

Dancing City is now no bigger than 5-1 for the Brown Advisory. You can understand why, he’s reliable and looks sure to be in the first three, but he still might be vulnerable to a peak Ballyburn.

Unibet Champion Hurdle, March 11
Unibet: 4-6 Constitution Hill, 7-2 Lossiemouth, 4 Brighterdaysahead, 8 State Man, Anzadam, 20 Sir Gino, 25 bar

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