'One day she could become a Champion Hurdle mare' - Selma De Vary lands French Triumph Hurdle for Mullins Willie Mullins and Paul Townend continue to dominate in Grade 1 contests across Europe with the duo combining to win the Prix Alain du Breil Hurdle (2m 3f 85y) on Sunday in Auteuil with Selma De Vary. The Rich-Ricci owned four-year-old was a beaten favourite in the Juvenile Hurdle at the Aintree Festival last month and had finished fourth in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Bred and purchased from France, the daughter of Zarak, who has previous winning form at Auteil, relished the soft underfoot conditions and finished strongly to get the better of French mare Delmegan. It was a second win in the race for Willie Mullins in four years and a first Grade 1 success for the tough filly who returned at 4-1. 'Exciting filly' Following the win, Townend told Sky Sports Racing: "We don't mind the rain when we're winning! She was very good, she was very tough. "I went out just to get her to settle, she was quite headstrong but she is learning a lot. Compared to when I first rode her in Cheltenham and Aintree, she's settling much better. "I thought the ground really suited her today, she likes to get her toe in. I thought it was a big ask coming here to be honest, with how late she came to us, but it shows the guts she has to be able to come here and put up a performance like that. "It's lovely to come here, our season has finished but we've Auteuil to look forward to and it's nice to come here and be successful. "As she's learning to settle with racing, she'll have no bother getting the trip and she'll be a very exciting filly." Bloodstock agent Harold Kirk, who was representing the Mullins team in France was delighted with the performance saying: “She is a very very good filly, she could stay over hurdles or perhaps go chasing one day. One day she could become a Champion Hurdle mare.”
