See also » Job-done-for-Laurina-Champion-Hurdle-next
she took a good blow and Ruby said she needed it badly. When he asked her to move up she moved up nicely, and did everything he asked her. She jumped a bit slow for my liking when she wasn’t on the bridle but when he gave her the office to go she sharpened up her jumping. Ruby said she was idling in front. The tight inside track today wouldn’t suit her either. That’s job done and hopefully we’ll get a clear run from now to Cheltenham. The Champion Hurdle is where we are aiming. That’s the owners' plan and our plan. Things can change and she is in other races. She got her flu jab last week and we missed a week’s training which is not ideal. I wanted the last week to sharpen her up and have her really hopping. We had to take a pull, and I’m happy knowing how we would normally shape her training coming up to a race like this. We’ll have to sharpen her up over the next few weeks. She was a very buzzy mare before and she has matured so maybe that’s why she looked very settled. The buzz and bustle of Cheltenham will really sharpen her up and for a Champion Hurdle she is going to have to be sharper. We knew we were going to have pace in the race today with Stormy Ireland who is a nice yardstick too. We knew it wasn’t going to be a pushover. She beat nothing in Sandown but looked sharper. She looks every inch a mare that can go chasing, and we’ll just see how she gets on in the meantime. W P Mullins, trainer

A hurdle race for four yrs old and upwards, mares only
Weights - 4-y-o 9st 10lb; 5-y-o 10st 9lb; 6-y-o and up 10st 11lb
Penalties - (handicaps excluded) to count from 1st August, 2017 Winner of two hurdle races 3lb extra; Of three hurdle races or a Grade 3 hurdle race 6lb extra; Of two Grade 3 hurdle races or a Grade 2 hurdle race 8lb extra; Of a Grade 1 hurdle race 10lb extra; HRI Directive 6 (ii) (b) is suspended for the purpose of this race.