Mullins fancies a 'Triumph' in France

Willie Mullins will have two chances to secure a third success in the French Champion Hurdle this weekend but the top Irish trainer believes his best chance of success will come in France's equivalent of the Triumph Hurdle.

Both J'y Vole and Financial Reward are expected to be among the favourites for the 250,000 Prix Alain Du Breil, a race won two years ago by the Eric McNamara-trained Strangely Brown.

The two four-year-olds finished first and second in a Grade Three at Auteuil last month and will head a four-strong Mullins raiding party on France's top jumps track this Saturday.

"From what I hear, there is nothing coming out of the closet in France and that a lot of the horses we meet on Saturday are horses that we beat the last time. I don't know if that is actually the case but that's what my sources tell me. If it's true, I would expect our horses to be first and second favourites," the Co Carlow-based trainer said yesterday.

J'y Vole (David Casey) beat Financial Reward (Ruby Walsh) in a thrilling finish last month in very testing conditions.

"I think it will be soft on Saturday but not heavy like it was the last time. They had torrential rain before that race. I think we will have a reasonable chance in that race," he added.

Mullins has an enviable record at Auteuil having won the Champion Hurdle with Nobody Told Me (2003) and Rule Supreme (2004) and is going for a three-timer in the 350,000 Grande Course De Haies D'Auteuil.

Both Alexander Taipan (Walsh) and Clear Riposte (Casey) will be hoping to do better than at their last visit to the Paris track when they finished 11th and 10th respectively behind Shinco Du Berlais in the traditional trial, the Prix la Barka.

Another Irish-trained horse with overseas options is the Tommy Stack-trained filly Alexander Tango who has the Grade One American Oaks at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles on July 7th as a likely target.

"There are three races under consideration for her. The Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Pretty Polly at the Curragh and the American Oaks. It will be one of the three. I will talk to the owner and see. She's in great shape," said Stack's son and assistant, Fozzie.

The American Oaks was won in 2003 by the Dermot Weld-trained Dimitrova who had finished third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas on her previous start. Alexander Tango's last start was when fourth to Finsceal Beo in the Curragh classic last month.

Finsceal Beo herself will run in the Coronation next week where she is likely to again encounter Darjina who beat her a head in the French 1,000 Guineas and ruined the Irish filly's chances of a classic triple crown. Jim Bolger's star bounced back to land the Irish Guineas, having began her season with a rousing success at Newmarket when beating Arch Swing by three lengths. John Oxx's filly is also on course for the Coronation having picked up a knock when unplaced at the Curragh on her last run.