Desmond Stoneham

3:55 Prix La Barka (Hurdle) (Grade 2) (5yo+) £57,904 2m5f110y

Thousand Stars (Katie Walsh) will be running for the 78th time this afternoon at Auteuil which can safely be described as his favourite track. The 12-year-old will be trying to win a third Prix La Barka as a prelude to landing a hat-trick in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (French Champion Hurdle) on June 12th.

He won the Barka/Grand Course double in 2012 and his third Grade 1 win at Auteuil came last November when he just pipped Aubusson (Lizzie Kelly) also in this race by Nick Williams, in the Grand Prix d’Autumne. Willie Mullins has given Thousand Stars just one outing since his last trip to France. He was a well beaten seventh in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown.

Un De Sceaux (Ruby Walsh) must be considered the stable’s leading hope. He has been chasing with great success since winning the Grade 2 Prix Leon Rambaud hurdle here from Le Grand Luce (rec 2lb) just over two years ago.

Paul Nicholls fields Ptit Zig (Sam Twiston-Davies) and this seven-year-old is no stranger to Auteuil having won the Grade 1 Prix Renaud de Vivier in November 2013 and he also beat Le Grand Luce at level weights. Ptit Zig is bang on form as he showed when taking the Select Hurdle at Sandown Park last month.

Nicky Henderson relies on Simonsig (Barry Geraghty). The 10-year-old was a very respectable third in the Grade 1 Boylesports Champion Chase at Punchestown last month. David Pipe runs both Gevrey Chambertin (James Reveley) and Ballynagour (Tom Scudamore) and the latter captured the Grade 2 hurdle last year but has been unsuccessfully chasing since. Gevrey Chambertin has better recent form but is up considerably in class since his easy victory in a handicap at Carlisle in March. Dan Skelton has been doing well in France this season and he will saddle Al Ferof (Harry Skelton) who has not run over hurdles since winning the Grade 1 Stan James Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2011. The consistent 11-year-old was runner-up in the JLT Melling Chase at Aintree last month.

There are just five French in the field of 13. Le Grand Luce is already held by several of the visitors and Bosseur comes from the highly successful stable of Guy Cherel. A very reliable sort, he lacks a little in the form book and has always been in the shadow of stablemate Blue Dragon. Bosseur is held by Le Grand Luce on recent form. Alex De Larredya is an up and coming young jumper and the winner of a Grade 3 handicap hurdle. Tara River was second to the very smart Kotkikova (now purchased by J.P. McManus) in a conditions hurdle last.

SELECTION: UN DE SCEAUX

Next best: Ptit Zig

2.45 Prix Questerabad (Hurdle) (Grade 3) (4yo) £44,669 2m3f110y

It will take a very good horse to topple Device from his pedestal but Willie Mullins will have a go with Footpad (Ruby Walsh) and Paul Nicholls with Zubayr (Sam Twiston-Davies). Trained by Guillaume Macaire and to be ridden by James Reveley, Device has won nine of his 11 starts and his last four races. He should again cater for Chimere Du Berlais although that horse did have the upper hand when winning the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres last November when everything went wrong for Device in the straight. Footpad fell at Aintree last time after a third in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham where Zubayr finished 13th.

SELECTION: DEVICE

Next best: Footpad

AUTEUIL SUNDAY

Ruby Welsh has picked up a couple of nice rides for Jean-Paul Gallorini in tomorrow’s Grade 1 races. He will be on board Shannon Rock for Madame Henri Devin in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris and will partner Saint Richard in the Prix Ferdinand Dufaure four-year-old chase.

Shannon Rock has been runner-up in the Grand Steep-Chase for the last four years and made good late progress when fifth in the Prix Ingre behind As d’Estruval, Milord Thomas and Vezelay. All four meet again and Milord Thomas took the race for Dominique Bressou a year ago.

Guillaume Macaire has an big hand to play with three fancied runners including Storm Of Saintly who was first past the post in 2014. He has landed a hat-trick this season and should be spot on.

As d’Estruval also has a flawless record in 2016 and is superior to Macaire’s other runner, So French, who was a Grade 1 winner last year.

SELECTION: STORM OF SAINTLY

Next best: Shannon Rock

chantilly TUESDAY

The Prix d’Ispahan will be run on Tuesday and several top performers will be making their reappearance.

New Bay will be in the line-up and he was third to Golden Horn in the Qatar Arc de Triomphe having won the Prix du Jockey Club in June. Erupt will also run. He reached a pinnacle in his career when taking the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris.

Dariyan won the Prix Ganay on May 1st the same day Vadamos took the Prix du Muguet. The most interesting runner is the Japanese horse A Shin Hikari. He won the Longines Hong Cup at Sha Tin in December and he could go on to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot if he runs well.