SOME OF Ireland’s top cross-country horses will be in action in France tomorrow with the La Touche winner Uncle Junior leading the Irish team in the €112,000 Prix Anjou-Loire Challenge over a marathon four and a half miles.

The race is the latest leg in the international Crystal Cup challenge of European cross-country races in 2012 and was won by the Irish-trained Another Jewel two years ago. He is back for another crack at the valuable event which is staged at the Lion d’Angers track and will be ridden by the champion jockey Davy Russell.

Uncle Junior was a dramatic winner of Punchestown’s La Touche Cup, the Irish leg of the series, last month and will be ridden by Emmett Mullins while the third that day, Saddlers Storm, is to be partnered by Paul Carberry.