This weekend there is some great racing and plenty of potential Cheltenham clues as well as runs for horses to help connections decide where there horses are running at Cheltenham.

Willie Mullins sends out some of his Cheltenham Festival hopes including Douvan and Faugheen whilst Un De Sceaux and Vroum Vroum Mag make forays across the water to race here in England at Ascot. Ruby Walsh has come over to ride and with the former they hope for a clear round of jumping whilst the latter is finding out whether she can put herself in the World Hurdle frame if she stays this far against her own sex.

Vroum Vroum Mag who is unbeaten for Willie Mullins had won 6 races over fences including 2 Grade 2’s and 3 Grade 3’s before stepping back down to running over hurdles. Sent off the 1/16 favourite she jumped superbly as you would expect and wasn’t troubled. Connections obviously feel she could hurdle fluently and efficiently enough to be a player in the Mares Hurdle or World Hurdle in which Willie Mullins looks a little bit short now that Arctic Fire has failed to stay the 3 mile trip.

Entered over 2m7f 118y at Ascot, Vroum Vroum Mag takes on her own sex in a Grade 2 Mares Hurdle and although taking on some smart Mares she is likely to be sent off a very short priced favourite. This will be the furthest she has raced over however her previous effort over 2m6f at Limerick didn’t make it look like that this extra distance will cause any problems. Both Aurore D’Estruval ridden by Barry Geraghty and Desert Queen ridden by Noel Fehily are likely to give Vroum Vroum Mag a bit more to think about than in her previous races.

Just over an hour later Un De Sceaux and Ruby Walsh are looking to bounce back after their fall over at Leopardstown when Willie Mullins felt he raced too keenly. Un De Sceaux fell on his return last year before winning easily on his next start. That was only in a beginners chase with the 145 rated Smashing back in 2nd. This year his next run after a fall is in the Grade 1 Sodexo Clarence House Chase where although the opposition are smart it’s probably only Sire De Grugy who can really challenge him should Un De Sceaux stay on his feet. Although disappointing on his return when 5th behind Vibrato Valtat he has beaten him comfortably twice since off level weights in the Tingle Creek (Sire De Grugy won) and then giving him 4lb in the Desert Orchid Chase (Sire De Grugy was 2nd to Sprinter Sacre). The winner of this race has gone on to win the Champion Chase at Cheltenham for the last 2 years so you can be sure Un De Sceaux and Sire De Grugy will be fully wound up for this.

On Sunday the Cheltenham Clues continue with Willie Mullins once again holding a strong hand and first up is Arkle hope and favourite Douvan who looks to have scared off the opposition with only 2 rivals entered against him. Domesday Book looks to have a lot to find on the ratings with him being 22lb wrong with Douvan whilst Velvet Maker was well beaten last time out by Douvan. It’s a shame the field is only 3 runners for the 2nd year on the trot but this goes to show the respect of Douvan that other trains have for him. He should win here although this is surely just a fitness run and won’t really give us any more indication about whether he can win the Arkle or not.

The feature on the card however is the Irish Champion Hurdle which was won for the last 5 years by Hurricane Fly and Willie Mullins. Willie Mullins looks very likely to win it again but it’s not a foregone conclusion according to many about who will be winning it. Both Faugheen and Nichols Canyon are entered and it’s great to see a re-match after the Morginia Hurdle was won by Nichols Canyon and was the first and only horse to beat Faugheen in any race. Ruby Walsh feels he was to blame for Faugheen’s defeat as he didn’t give Nichols Canyon enough respect whilst others say he simply outstayed the Champion Hurdler. Hopefully both horses get clear runs, jump all the hurdles cleanly and we can have a fantastic race. If Faugheen wins then his current odds are likely to shorten for the Champion Hurdle even more whilst if Nichols Canyon wins then he may even usurp Faugheen as favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Arctic Fire drops back into this race after disappointing over 3 miles last time but is likely to struggle to beat both of these. Should the big two take each other on too early then he may be able to run on past the one who surrenders first but it would be a surprise if he passed both. Plinth and King of the Picts are decent horses but are surely in here for some decent prize money and not likely to be involved in the finish.

At the end of the Weekend, Willie Mullins may well have strengthened his hand in the World Hurdle, Arkle and Champion Hurdle should all things go to plan and it’s very possible that Mr Rich Ricci owns all 3 winners in Vroum Vroum Mag, Douvan and Faugheen. A great action of racing and we can’t wait.