Ferdy Murphy has forecast French Holly "will definitely run a big race" in today's French Champion Hurdle. He is just hoping for luck in running in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, at the scene of the gelding's three-length win in the Prix La Barka on May 30th on his first run over French hurdles.

Jockey Andrew Thornton will continue his partnership with the gelding, third in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, who has continued to delight his trainer in the past three weeks.

"He's 100% and everything has gone fantastically well," Murphy said. "He has been staying with my daughter Caroline down in Normandy and every second or third day he went onto the beach at Deauville and he adored that.

"We flew Andrew Thornton over on Tuesday and the horse did a very, very good school over a mile and a half. I couldn't be happier with him."

Murphy is making his second bid for the French Champion Hurdle, having sent out Paddy's Return to finish fifth last year.