Desmond Stoneham
WILLIE Mullins goes on the attack at Auteuil this weekend. This afternoon he is after another Grade 2 Prix La Barka which is the trial for the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil in June. Val De Ferbet (Ruby Walsh) has been targetted at this hurdle race together with Gitane Du Berlais who will be ridden by Natalie Desoutter.
Paul Nicholls bids for another Barka win with Silsol (Sam Twiston Davies) while Tom Scudamore partners Ballynagour for David Pipe. Tomorrow both Mullins and Nicholls are after the big prize with runners in the €382,500 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris where even the fifth past the post collects €21,250.
Ruby Walsh is on board On His Own for Mullins and the former French-trained Sire Collonges (Twiston-Davies) represents the Nicholls stable.
The last cross-channel raider to win this famous Grade 1 chase was Mandarin in 1962. It was an astonishing victory as Fred Winter was left without steering or brakes when the bit broke soon after the start. The horse broke down some time before the finish but sheer guts kept him going to the line.
At 11, On His Own is the oldest horse in the race but still full of the joys of spring. He was a respectable fifth in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup having the previous year just failed to catch Lord Windermere in the same race.
In early April, he hacked up in the Imperial Call Chase at Cork but pulled up later in the month in the Punchestown Gold Cup. The horse does have a tendency to jump to the right.
Sire Collonges made a winning debut at Auteuil over five years ago and is now mainly running in cross-country events. He has not won since December 2013 at Cheltenham but was a good runner-up in a handicap at the same course last month. He should have no problem staying the three mile and six furlong distance.
The Mullins family has an each-way chance of landing the €26,400 Prix Marechal Foch with Perfect Gentleman in the colours of Jackie Mullins later in the afternoon. The Guillaume Macaire-trained pair United Park and Marinas look the two to beat.
Mullins took the Barka with Thousand Stars in 2012 and 2014 and added the Grande Course de Haies in 2011 and again 2012, so Val de Ferbet and Gitane Du Berlais have a lot to live up to.
The former has won two chases in his last four outings but was pulled up last time so is probably having a confidence booster in this hurdle. Gitane Du Berlais won the Grade 1 Scilly Islands Novices Chase before returning to Auteuil to win the Grade 3 Prix Juigne Hurdle from Dos Santos who again takes up the challenge. Last time out, the five-year-old was fourth in the Ryanair Gold Cup Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.
Paul Nicholls took the Barka in 2013 with Celestial Halo. Silsol landed a hat-trick at the end of last season and was recently runner-up in the Grade 2 Totepool National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell. Ballynagour was going well when falling at the fourth from home in the Punchestown Gold Cup and has been racing well in Grade 1 company for some time.
On the same card, Bryan Cooper partners Analifet in the Listed Prix d’Arles Presente Par Ela Hurdle. Although winless since December 2013, her form suggests she could take a hand in the finish and may have most to fear from Nouma Jelois and Boscraie.
In the Barka, the cross-channel challenge may find Roll On Has and Defi D’Anjpou two of their main opponents and preference in the Grand Steeple-Chase is for the old rivals Milord Thomas, Shannon Rock, runner-up the race for the past three years, and Bel La Vie who was first past the post in 2013.