Racing:RUBY WALSH and his sister Katie will both hope to secure a major Grade One prize in Paris this afternoon when they are part of Willie Mullins's three-pronged attack on the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil.
The Mullins trio of Thousand Stars (Ruby Walsh), Mourad (Katie Walsh) and this year’s Cheltenham Festival winner Final Approach (David Casey) are among a 10-runner line-up for the €370,000 Grande Course De Haies D’Auteuil that also includes David Pipe’s World Hurdle runner-up Grands Cru.
Mullins has a fine record in France’s biggest hurdles prize which is run over an extended three miles and a furlong.
Ireland’s multiple champion trainer recorded back-to-back victories in 2003-04 with Nobody Told Me and Rule Supreme, both of which were ridden to success by Casey.
Bookmakers, however, rate Thousand Stars as Mullins’s best chance this time after an encouraging second in the traditional trial event, the Prix La Barka last month. Katie Walsh couldn’t ride Thousand Stars in that race due to restrictions on amateurs riding in certain races in France but she is free to team up with Mourad today, with her brother remaining on Thousand Stars. Final Approach finished sixth in the Barka.
Last year’s French Champion Hurdle attracted lots of attention when the winner Mandali was allowed a huge early lead that top international flat jockey Christophe Soumillon took full advantage of and maintained to the line.
Mullins will also be represented in the Grade One Prix Alain Du Breil, the French equivalent of the Triumph Hurdle, this afternoon with Twinlight lining up for the €270,000 prize.
Ruby Walsh will be back for Gowran Park tomorrow where the former champion jockey teams up again with the Tony Martin-trained Uncle Taffy in the two-mile handicap hurdle.
Admiral Barry, just 10 lengths off Fame And Glory in the Saval Beg on his last start, tops the weights in this but Uncle Taffy is in top form at present after wins at Cork and Ballinrobe and looks one to side with for a while yet.
Walsh is also on Wee Giant in the day’s other two-mile hurdle and can get the better of Martin’s hope Pires while Barry Geraghty’s mount Magical Memoir can build on a Ballinrobe win in the four year old conditions event.
Golden Ticket picked up some hurdling experience at Punchestown in October and built on that with a bumper success at the same track last month.
He looks to have good claims in the Gowran opener.
