Willie Mullins is looking forward to next season with
after ruling his star mare out of the Punchestown Festival.
Winner of 11 of her 14 starts, the grey successfully defended her crown in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last month before following up in the Aintree Hurdle in early April.
With connections having decided against running against the geldings in the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on Friday, she was widely expected to round off her campaign by bidding for back-to-back wins in Saturday’s SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle, but was not among the confirmations on Tuesday.
Explaining her absence, Mullins said: “She misses Punchestown but she will be back next season. I don’t think we’ll be going to France with her.
“It’s disappointing to miss the last day of the season but she’ll be fine in a week or two and we’ll prepare her for next season.”