Anzadam could be handed Fighting Fifth mission

Willie Mullins’ unbeaten Anzadam could take on Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on November 29.

The five-year-old missed the major spring festivals last season after sustaining an injury when winning at Naas but is back in rude health now, with Mullins keen to keep him apart from his stablemate and fellow Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned runner State Man, who is bound for the Morgiana Hurdle.

“Anzadam looks to have enough potential to go down the Champion Hurdle route,” said Mullins.

“There’s been little bits of bother with him but this year everything has been good. He has the ability but sometimes his training schedule gets interrupted.

“If I can get a clear run into him, I think we’re looking at going for the Fighting Fifth with him. Like State Man he’s owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly and there seems little point in both of them going for the Morgiana.

“It’s more to keep an owners’ horses apart than looking at the championship, but obviously that’s no harm either.”

As for State Man, who fell with the Champion Hurdle at his mercy before winning well at Punchestown, Mullins said: “State Man was just unlucky at Cheltenham.

“He showed every one of us what Paul (Townend) had been saying all along, it had never entered his head not to ride him even if Lossiemouth had run (in the Champion Hurdle). He had State Man way ahead, which probably was hard to see in the evidence of his runs but he’s just been lazy until we changed tack (cheekpieces). We’ll keep it similar with him.”

Also in the Donnelly colours is Salvator Mundi, an impressive Aintree winner.

“I think Salvator Mundi has the ability to be a Champion Hurdle horse too but as they have Anzadam and State Man, I’m going to go over fences with him and it might teach him to settle better,” said Mullins.

“He shows more at home than he has on the track. Maybe fences will bring that out, he could be a huge player.”

Lossiemouth was the subject of much debate last year when, having been mooted for the Champion Hurdle all season, she was rerouted to the Mares’ Hurdle which she won in style.

“I imagine Lossiemouth will start in the Hatton’s Grace then after that you’ll have to guess as I don’t think I want to get into the same hassle we had last year, the way it worked out,” said Mullins.

“She’ll tell us after the Hatton’s Grace but she’d look a hot order for the Mares’ Hurdle.”

Albert Bartlett winner Jasmin De Vaux’s immediate plans are still undecided but Mullins could be leaning towards staying over the smaller obstacles.

Mullins explained: “I haven’t decided on Jasmin De Vaux yet and looking how he jumped last year, you wouldn’t immediately go novice chasing.

“In his favour when we went out in trip he was a lot better. He might have more respect for fences but looking back at his point, he wasn’t a natural that day.”

Mullins also gave favourable mention to dual Grade One bumper winner Bambino Fever, who he thinks may tackle open company.

He added: “On the hurdling front there’s Bambino Fever who won the Bumper, could she be good enough to even go against the boys in the top novice hurdles rather than just go down the mares hurdle route?

“She’s got a huge engine and is a lovely big mare. I’m always a believer to look at the races you can win rather than be an unlucky loser so I’d imagine we’ll go down the mares route, but if she looks like she needs a trip we could go to the Ballymore. I’d be hard pressed to think of a mare better than her.”