Brendan O’Brien: Even when Willie Mullins loses, he wins

If there was one moment that summed up the sheer size and strength of the challenge from Willie Mullins’ team here this week then it came shortly after four o’clock when the opening day’s banker Annie Power crashed to earth in the Mares’ Hurdle.

The Irish trainer had, until then, enjoyed a day of supernova proportions, one where all his stars had aligned in the form of three winners from the first four races.

Then Annie Power did a decent Devon Loch impression and Mullins’ run looked over.