‘I cannot wait to see him’ – Willie Mullins to unleash Cheltenham Festival dark horse for legendary owners

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WILLIE MULLINS will unleash his Champion Hurdle dark horse on Sunday – with punters saying: “I cannot wait to see him.”

Anzadam, who is owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly of State Man, Sir Gino and Lulamba fame, created a huge impression on debut for Mullins.

He hosed up in a Grade 3 smashing Gordon Elliott’s 138-rated Kala Conti by six-and-a-half lengths at Fairyhouse last November.

Anzadam, who won both his races in France before moving to Closutton, has been kept under wraps since then.

He is as short as 8-1 for the Champion Hurdle, with the market headed by Nicky Henderson’s 4-7 fav Constitution Hill.

It was thought Anzadam could head to next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival to test his credentials against, most likely, State Man, Lossiemouth and possibly Brighterdaysahead.

But Mullins has decided to play his hand early and declared the five-year-old for the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Sunday.

Bookies know his huge reputation and make him just 2-13 to come out on top against rivals Beacon Edge and Laafi.

Really, those two shouldn’t be in the same league as Anzadam.

Mullins revealed how highly he regards the horse on a recent yard visit.

He said: “We had him as a juvenile and we were disappointed we couldn’t get him to Cheltenham last year.

“Even though we had Majborough in the race (Triumph Hurdle), but Anzadam was right up there.

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“That’s the sort of company and regard I hold him in.”

Punters are looking forward to fireworks too.

Reacting to the news Anzadam was out this weekend, one said: “I cannot wait to see him.”