The Willie Mullins trained Un De Sceaux is on course to make his seasonal debut in Sunday’s Fortria Chase in Navan.
Last years Arkle Chase winner finished 2nd to Sprinter Sacre in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last March at Cheltenham, and he looks set to be joined on Sunday by stablemate Ballycasey and the Enda Bolger trained Gilgamboa.
Already the winner of 15 of his 20 career starts and over €600,000 in prize-money, Un De Sceaux will be running for the first time since apparently failing to stay the three mile trip of the French Champion Hurdle in June and connections will have welcomed the rain that fell yesterday as he is well suited by an ease in the ground.
In other races on a high-quality card, Willie Mullins is likely to attempt to win the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle for the third consecutive year courtesy of the very talented Shaneshill but he is likely to face a stiff enough task with the likes of Snow Falcon and Dedigout. Gavin Cromwell’s Jer’s Girl, a dual Grade 1 winner last season, is also entered in what could be an intriguing contest.