French Holly fourth

Ferdy Murphy blamed a combination of firm ground and a slow pace for French Holly's defeat in the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil.

But he was far from downcast that the Prix Barka winner could manage only fourth behind Vaporetto in Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, for which he was sent off 6 to 4 favourite. And the trainer is already plotting a return visit in the autumn before launching his eight-year-old's chasing career. "The main thing is that he is 100 per cent," Murphy reflected. "He has come out of the race fantastically - he didn't get dehydrated or anything.

"The ground got very fast and it was just a sprint yesterday - I think the French jockeys worked out how to beat him after the Barka.

"It is just one of those things. We didn't get much luck last year when Paddy's Return was fifth and we didn't get much luck this year, but we'll be back to give it another go.

The gelding, third in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, is set for an early return to Auteuil. "He will come back for the Autumn Champion Hurdle, when the ground will be soft, and then go chasing," Murphy said.