Mullins chases more French glory

Ireland's top jumps performers have been in rampant form in Britain all year and today both Euro Leader and Strangely Brown will attempt to spread that success to Paris where both line up for the French Champion Hurdle (3m 1f).

A total of 10 horses will start in the Grande Course De Haies D'Auteuil and Ruby Walsh will team up with last year's Kerry National winner Euro Leader who will attempt to continue Willie Mullins's splendid record in the €320,000 event.

The former champion trainer won France's top hurdle prize in 2003 and 2004 with Nobody Told Me and Rule Supreme and the latter was runner-up to Lycaon De Vauzelle last year.

"Euro Leader probably has more pace than either of those two but the trip is a concern and, unlike Nobody Told Me and Rule Supreme, he hasn't had a run at the track," Mullins said.

The Eric McNamara-trained Strangely Brown also has winning form at Auteuil having landed the Prix Alain Du Breil, the French Triumph Hurdle, at the track last year under Walsh. Robbie Power will take the ride this time.

Other Irish interest will centre on Philip Carberry who will attempt to stretch his unbeaten record on the Francois Cottin-trained Princesse d'Anjou to three after a momentous victory in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris last month.

The British focus will be on the Victor Dartnall-trained Lord Sam as well as Dom D'Orgeval who will be ridden by the Irish-born jockey Dean Gallagher.

Willie Mullins will be triple-handed in the €250,000 Prix Alain Du Breil with Walsh electing to ride Mister Hight and Gallagher teaming up with Clear Riposte. Mick Fitzgerald will again be on board the Punchestown Grade One winner Quatre Heures.

Dermot Weld will have just two runners at next week's Royal Ascot festival but both Media Puzzle and Nightime will be in action in Group One prizes with the latter bidding to follow up her Irish 1,000 Guineas success in Friday's Coronation Stakes.

The 2002 Melbourne Cup hero Media Puzzle is on track to try and go one better than both Vintage Crop (1994) and Vinnie Roe (2002) in Thursday's Gold Cup. Success for either would take Weld off the 13-winner mark at the royal meeting.

Séamus Heffernan could have a good afternoon's work ahead of him at Navan today where he teams up with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Albertinelli in the mile conditions race. The colt was a narrow winner on his Curragh debut and should come on significantly for that run.

Heffernan also looks to have good shout in the opening maiden where Love Ridot won't be the 25 to 1 shot he was on his debut when third to Eastern Appeal at the Curragh.

Ashlight has ground to make up on Sheer Dance from running behind Drumin Orpen at Tipperary but Fran Berry's mount was running on strongly and the extra distance of the mile-handicap should suit.

The Willie Mullins team may be heavily involved in Paris this afternoon but the last race at Cork tonight should see them figure prominently too. Diego Garcia's first flat run for almost three years yielded a fourth to Euro Leader at Leopardstown and he may be better value than his stable companion Navajo Chieftain.