Following the news that a big Willie Mullins chance for the Cheltenham Festival, Anzadam will be out for the rest of the season, I think it could be interesting to see how much effect this has on the Mullins stable – not just his chances, but also mentally as well.

It is a crucial time of the horse racing season for all trainers and Anzadam, who there were high hopes for in the Champion Hurdle will be a big miss for Mullins, though probably not in the way I think that many would expect here.

The five-year-old who is unbeaten in two starts was a modest 8/1 shot for the race and, as a result, there were high hopes that Anzadam could provide Mullins with what I would call, a good hedge in the race (especially for those odds) behind last year’s winner State Man and his other selection Lossiemouth.

Indeed, following Anzadam’s injury, the chances of a 1-2-3 look even slimmer, especially when considering they are up against the Nicky Henderson trained titan, Constitution Hill in the race, which was already deemed somewhat of an uphill task.

Speaking after his injury, Mullins revealed: “Unfortunately Anzadam picked up a little injury at Naas and won’t be ready for Aintree.

“I don’t feel it’s prudent to try and rush him back for Punchestown so he’ll miss the remainder of the season.”

For Anzadam, I think Cheltenham would have been the perfect stage for the horse to really showcase his potential in front of a big crowd. While he would have been an outsider for the race, finishing in a place would have been a realistic aim in addition to gaining great experience alongside some genuine contenders.

Will The Champion Hurdle Still Be Competitive?

Despite the injury to Anzadam, there is still a lot of intrigue as far as the Champion Hurdle is concerned. While this is a disappointment for Mullins, it is more of a nuisance as this would have provided the ideal step up in his development and put him on a good pedestal to push on next season.

However, in terms of the chances Mullins has in the race, I think it could be one of the most competitive of the week. Any one from a few could win it and you just can’t split the three favourites; State Man, Lossiemouth and Constitution Hill – all are capable of delivering on their day.

Obviously, these types of races don’t always go according to plan and there is certainly a scope for an outsider to upset the odds, which I’m pretty sure the bookies will be hoping for.

In terms of the confidence levels going into the festival for the Mullins camp, there will still be an air of optimism I should think – yes, there are going to be some top horses going from a number of trainers, though it is a shame that we won’t get to see Anzadam. I’ll certainly be keeping my eye out for when he returns – his comeback could be interesting.