NEWS ROUND-UP:IT MAY be the height of the classic season, but Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins is set to target more big jumps prizes in France this weekend.
The trio of Thousand Stars, Dorset Square and Final Approach are on target to run in Sunday’s €175,000 Prix la Barka, a traditional Grade Two prep’ for next month’s French Champion Hurdle, the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil.
Mullins has used the Barka as a warm-up for the main event before when landing back-to-back runnings of the French Champion Hurdle in 2003-04 with Nobody Told Me and Rule Supreme.
The Carlow-based trainer plans to go directly to the Champion Hurdle with his star mare Quevega, but a good result this weekend could see Mullins go to Auteuil next month with an even stronger team.
“I’ll work them in the morning, but at the moment they are all sound, healthy and ready for action and I’m happy that they’re going to run on Sunday,” he said yesterday.
“I didn’t think Quevega needed to run in the Barka and she would have had to carry penalties anyway. The plan is to go straight to the Champion Hurdle with her. Ground conditions are quick over there at the moment. They’ve had a very dry spring.”
The Mullins link with the French Champion Hurdle goes back to 1984 when Dawn Run, trained by his father, Paddy, completed the Barka-Champion Hurdle double.
Another Irish horse entered at Auteuil on Sunday is Edward O’Grady’s Sailor’s Warn, who could line up for the Grade Three Prix de Longchamp, worth €135,000.
The importance of Ireland’s festival meetings was underlined by the senior steward of the National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, William Flood, at the weekend during the national hunt awards.
“The major festivals and bigger racedays are the life blood that continues to focus the spotlight on our sport by attracting large attendances, even in these recessionary times,” he said.
“The Galway summer festival, Leopardstown Christmas, Fairyhouse Easter and Punchestown were once again all very successful and attracted the best jumping talent from both sides of the Irish Sea.
“It is vitally important that this trend continues.”
Paul Townend was named jockey of the year at the awards after the 19-year-old was crowned champion jockey for the first time.
Nina Carberry, winner of the Irish Grand National on Organisedconfusion last month, was named leading woman rider for the seventh successive year.
A special award was made to Helen Walsh, mother of Ruby and Katie, and wife of Ted Walsh, while a distinguished service award was made to retiring Turf Club official Joe Collins.
