NEWS broke on Wednesday morning that the 2016 Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power will miss the Cheltenham Festival after picking up a leg injury at home.

Annie Power has been ruled out of this season's Cheltenham Festival after suffering a suspensory injury, trainer Willie Mullins revealed today.

He told At The Races: “It’s disappointing news. She worked very well yesterday but they weren’t happy with her at home yesterday evening and this morning confirmed that she had a leg injury.

“She’s definitely out of Cheltenham and I don’t know whether she will run again this season. I’d say probably not but usually with injuries of this type we gave them a week or 10 days and then reassess and that is what we will do.”

The mare had finished second in the World Hurdle in 2014, fell at the last when clear in the Mares' Hurdle in 2015 before deputising for Faugheen last year and running out an impresssive winner of the hurdle championship.

It is a second blow to owner Rich Ricci and the yard after the death late last year of Vautour. All eyes will now be on Faugheen's reappearance in the BHP Insurances Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

REVISED CHAMPION HURDLE BETTING

Faugheen 6/4

Yanworth 4/1

Petit Mouchoir 6/1

Brain Power 12/1

Vroum Vroum Mag 12/1

Nichols Canyon 16/1