Willie Mullins and Paul Townend should continue their great form with the classy Gauloise in the Race Displays Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle in Fairyhouse.
This meeting was cancelled on January 30, but passed an early morning inspection today.
Successful on her only start in her native France, Gauloise has impressed in her two outings for the Mullins team, both at Thurles.
A smooth winner of her maiden, she followed-up in a listed event a week before Christmas, when beating Mighty Blue (re-opposes on 4lb better terms) comfortably.
She jumps well, appears to have a high cruising speed and a good turn of foot – qualities which might see off Peter Fahey’s course specialist Royal Kahala (three from three at Fairyhouse) and impressive course maiden winner Roseys Hollow.
The Closutton combination might also land both divisions of the ITBA_official 2020 Awards Maiden Hurdle.
Formerly trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam and a promising fourth behind Wide Receiver and subsequent winner Decimation on his hurdling bow at Leopardstown, M C Muldoon has Peter Fahey’s Limerick bumper winner Lucky Tenner to beat in the first division.
Sent off 4/7 favourite for his Irish debut at Cork in November, Grand Bornand was too keen and showed signs of inexperience in finishing fourth to Thedevilscoachman.
With the help of a tongue-tie and a hood, the Mullins-trained grey might recoup losses in the second division, in which Gordon Elliott’s Grand Paradis looks the chief threat.
Elliott’s Braeside, withdrawn from a valuable handicap at Leopardstown yesterday, is expected to open his account over fences in the opener, if reproducing the sort of form which saw him chase home Fils D’oudairies at Navan before Christmas.
