Klassical Dream, Flooring Porter and Hewick feature in stellar French Champion Hurdle field

No fewer than seven of the 15 declared runners for Saturday's Grande Course de Haies are trained in Ireland, with Willie Mullins sending four challengers as he goes in search of a sixth win in the race.

Runners-up in this race to Hermes Baie 12 months ago, Klassical Dream and Paul Townend will attempt to complete the Punchestown/Auteuil double, while the horse that chased him home in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle, Asterion Forlonge also takes his chance under Nico de Boinville. The Closutton team is completed by Haut En Couleurs (Johnny Charron) and Kilcruit (Lucas Zuliani).

Danny Mullins was a huge part of his uncle's success last season but here retains his partnership with Flooring Porter, who makes a first visit to Paris and will be bidding to build on finishing efforts of fourth at Cheltenham and third at Aintree.

With Jordan Gainford on the sidelines, Rachael Blackmore will be aboard Hewick, just as she was in the Oaksey Chase at Sandown last month, while Emmet Mullins and Donagh Meyler continue the unique campaign of Feronily. 

Rachael Blackmore will be back aboard Hewick at Auteuil on SaturdayCredit: Alan Crowhurst

At the start of February he was running in a Leopardstown bumper, since then the six-year-old has run in two novice hurdles and two novice chases, the most recent of which resulted in a Grade 1 success at the Punchestown Festival. 

Sophie Leech sends Lucky One back to Auteuil after capturing a valuable handicap there three weeks ago, while Chantilly-based Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm saddle trial winner Goa Lil, who runs in the colours of Nigel Twiston-Davies.  

The main chances of keeping the prize at home rest with Hermes Baie, whose trainer Francois Nicolle has been battling a virus in the yard throughout the spring, and three-time Grade 1 winner Theleme. 

Noble Yeats will attempt to become just the third horse to win both the Grand National and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris on Sunday, and heads 18 runners declared for the €900,000 French version of the Gold Cup. 

The 2022 Aintree hero, who was fourth in his defence last month, would join Jerry M and Troytown - whose exploits both date from just either side of the first world war - as winners of these two iconic chases. Sean Bowen will be having his first ride in France. 

Franco De Port and Johnny Charron return from their fine third in the Prix IngreCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Among the Willie Mullins runners, Paul Townend has opted for Franco De Port, who was third in the race 12 months ago when staying on under Danny Mullins, who this time round will be aboard stablemate Carefully Selected. 

Jack Quinlan will be back aboard the Nick Littmoden-trained Imperil, the pair having landed France's biggest staying handicap chase, the Prix du President de la Republique.

Successful back in 2019 under Davy Russell, Carriacou is the only former Grand Steeple winner in the lineup. Rachael Blackmore teams up with the David Cottin-trained mare Gessy Raisselle while stablemate General En Chef is the mount of Felix de Giles.

Grande Course de Haies (French Champion Hurdle), Saturday

Feronily Donagh Meyler
Klassical Dream Paul Townend
Folsom Prison Jeremy Da Silva
Asterion Forlonge Nico de Boinville
Haut En Couleurs Johnny Charron
Anouma Freedom Geoffrey Re
Flooring Porter Danny Mullins
Lucky One Gabin Meunier
Theleme Gaetan Masure
Kilcruit Lucas Zuliani
Hewick Rachael Blackmore
Hermes Baie Bertrand Lestrade
Goa Lil Felix de Giles
Roberta Has Angelo Zuliani
Sans Bruit Nicolas Gauffenic

Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, Sunday

Franco De Port Paul Townend
Rosario Baron Johnny Charron
Doctor Squeeze Theo Chevillard
Carriacou Gabin Meunier
Metasequoia Lucas Zuliani
Imperil Jack Quinlan
Bandero Nicolas Gauffenic
Spes Militurf Kilian Dubourg
Doctor Kaleo Thomas Beaurain
Gex Bertrand Lestrade
Carefully Selected Danny Mullins
Poly Grandchamp Tristan Lemagnen
General En Chef Felix de Giles
Suroit Josef Bartos
Noble Yeats Sean Bowen
Starlet Du Mesnil Angelo Zuliani
Gessy Raiselle Rachael Blackmore
Altesse Du Berlais Baptiste Leclerc

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