Hurricane Fly© Photo Healy Racing
Willie Mullins reports Hurricane Fly in rude health ahead of the legendary hurdler's return to his homeland for the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil in Paris on Sunday.
The remarkable 11-year-old can count two Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and five triumphs in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown among his record 22 Grade One victories and now gets the chance to add the French equivalent to his CV.
Hurricane Fly will make his first appearance in France in almost seven years in the near three-and-a-quarter-mile contest, having found old foe Jezki too strong on his latest appearance at the Punchestown Festival at the end of April.
Mullins said: "He seems real well and in good form. They always keep the ground fairly soft. They always water the track well and hopefully that will suit him. I'm very happy with him at the moment."
Given his advancing years, it would be easy to conclude his French mission could be Hurricane Fly's swansong, but retirement has not even crossed his trainer's mind.
"All we're thinking about is going over there to run and hoping he'll run well," said Mullins.
Hurricane Fly spearheads a three-pronged assault for the master of Closutton, with Thousand Stars and Val De Ferbet also in contention.
Thousand Stars won this prestigious event in 2011 and 2012, while Val De Ferbet earned his place by filling the runner-up spot in last month's Prix La Barka at the track.
Mullins said: " Katie Walsh gets on well with Thousand Stars and he always runs good races over there. We're just keeping our fingers crossed he can get some place money as I think it might be tough for him.
"His (Val De Ferbet's) last run was very good and I'm expecting a big improvement, which puts him right in the firing line."
David Pipe also has a strong hand, with stable jockey Tom Scudamore siding with Prix La Barka winner Ballynagour over stable companion Un Temps Pour Tout, the mount of James Reveley.
"They're two very good horses, I think they're rated the same," said Pipe.
"They both go there in good form. The ground is going to be on the softish side, but not bottomless, so I suppose that's why Tom has gone for Ballynagour.
"It was a good performance last time. On his day he's a very good horse. It is his third run quite quickly, but he seems in good order.
"Un Temps Pour Tout has very good form around there and has been running well this season on ground that has not been soft enough for him.
"Aintree last time wasn't an ideal track for him on good ground, so there were two negatives and he still finished third.
"Hurricane Fly is in the race and he looks the one they've all got to beat but, saying that, hopefully both of ours will perform very well."
A strong British and Irish challenge is completed by the Paul Nicholls-trained Zarkandar and Activial from Harry Fry's yard.
