#Francois Nicolle

Poly Grandchamp is something of a fixture at Auteuil, running with great credit in most of the Graded races over fences at the track through the last three seasons and more. But a record of one win from his last 16 starts meant he was well down the preferences of pari-mutuel punters in a high-quality line-up of France's best chasers that lacked…

Noble Yeats: a 50-1 winner of the Grand National in April Auteuil in mid-October is not renowned as being the sequel to a blockbuster Grand National success, but Emmet Mullins has never been one to stick to scripts so Noble Yeats warms up for a crack at Newbury's Coral Gold Cup next month in the Prix Heros XII (2.50). The Grade 3 chase, over 2m6f,…

Moved to tears: Isabel Pacault (right) and Davy Russell during the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris presentation which followed Carriacou's win at Auteuil The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris picture should become clearer on Saturday afternoon as last year's hero Carriacou bids to cement his claims for a repeat bid in the Prix Murat, an important trial for…

St Donats flanked by jockey James Reveley and his father James, as well as trainer Hugo Merienne (blue suit) James Reveley may not have won the feature Prix la Haye Jousselin with the Willie Mullins-trained Franco De Port, but a haul of two Grade 1s out of three resulted in him showing his very best at Auteuil. Not that Mullins will have been too…