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Mullins may send star chaser to France for crack at champion hurdle

Ruby Walsh aboard the Willie Mullins trained horse on his way to another victory
Ruby Walsh aboard the Willie Mullins trained horse on his way to another victory

Willie Mullins may send Un De Sceaux to the French Champion Hurdle following his impressive victory at Auteuil on Saturday.

The eight-year-old ran his rivals ragged as he made all of the running when stepped to two miles five and a half furlongs in the Prix La Barka.

The Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil at the Paris track on June 12 is over three miles one and a half furlongs, but Un De Sceaux showed no signs of stopping.

"The ground seems to be the key to Un De Sceaux. Soft ground he seems to go a lot easier on it.

It was his first run over hurdles for two years and he has yet to be beaten over smaller obstacles in eight races.

In between time he has enjoyed great success over fences, though he had been beaten by Sprinter Sacre in his two previous starts.

"It was a fantastic performance. Horses for courses - he's been to Auteuil three times and three times he's won," part-owner Colm O'Connell.

"The ground seems to be the key to Un De Sceaux. Soft ground he seems to go a lot easier on it.

"I always expected him to go on the ground. The trip was a bit of a question, so now that opens us more options for next year.

"The French Champion Hurdle is over an extra four furlongs. We'll see. We've a bit of time now.

"We'll see how he comes out of the race. We'll give him a break for a few days and then we'll talk to Willie, but it's an option,” he continued.

"He's definitely got options, options I didn't think we had a week ago. We know he can see out a trip, so it's going to make a difficult choice where we go from September.

"He absolutely loved it on Saturday. He loves the mud and loved the hurdling, so it's rain dances for the next three or four years at this stage."

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