Ireland's star mare Asian Maze is set to follow in the legendary hooves of Dawn Run and run at the Auteuil track in Paris later this month.

The four-time Grade One winner is being targeted at the Prix la Barka in less than three weeks time by trainer Tom Mullins, a race his father Paddy Mullins won 22 years ago with Dawn Run.

She went on that summer to land the French Champion Hurdle, the Grande Course De Haies D'Auteuil, but two years later, in 1986, a repeat bid on that race resulted in Dawn Run breaking her neck in a fatal fall.

After Asian Maze won at Punchestown last year, Mullins described her display as a "Dawn Run performance" and two wins in April, at Aintree and again at Punchestown, have again confirmed Asian Maze's still developing talent which will be paraded in front of French fans next.

"The plan is to run in the Prix la Barka on May 28th and then see what happens," Mullins said yesterday. Depending on what Ruby (Walsh) says, we might have a look at the French Champion Hurdle as well. Or we could go to Royal Ascot for the Queen Alexandria. But either way she will be in training for the next while."

The bitter experience of the Mullins family at Auteuil with Dawn Run has been eased somewhat in recent years by successive Champion Hurdle wins there in 2002 and 2003 by the Willie Mullins-trained pair, Nobody Told Me and Rule Supreme.

However, the three-mile plus distance of the race, compared to the two miles and five furlongs of the Barka, could have an influence on Asian Maze's possible participation next month.

"Money wise, it is attractive but it could be a very tough race," Tom Mullins added. "But there are an awful lot of factors like ground still be decided so there's no point looking too far ahead. If, for instance, the ground was firm at Ascot, we could look at the Champion Hurdle. But a lot will depend on what Ruby says after the Barka."

Walsh described Asian Maze as more of a speed horse than a stayer after she won at Punchestown last time out and Mullins is convinced she wasn't quite at her best that day.

"I was worried going into it but she is over whatever little bug she had then. She has come out of it great and I'm happy she is a lot better than what she showed then," he said.

An early morning work-out at the Curragh today will have a big bearing on whether or not the John Oxx-trained King In Waiting will take part in Sunday's Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown. King In Waiting is as low as 20 to 1 for the Epsom Derby on the back of a debut win at the Curragh in March but an anticipated start in last month's Ballysax was abandoned due to a setback.

"The Derrinstown will come a little soon but if he works well in the morning we could let him take his chance on Sunday. The alternative is to wait for the Gallinule in two weeks time but he could do with the experience. A lot will depend on how he works," Oxx said yesterday.

Another potential Oxx-trained star working today will be the filly Lifetime Romance who could take part in Sunday's 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown if pleasing this morning.

"She has been a bit slow to come to hand and we will see how she works," said the trainer. Lifetime Romance won at the Curragh last October.

The May Killarney Festival winds up this evening with Ruby Walsh facing an intriguing challenge in the shape of Oodachee who lines up for his first start over fences in the Beginners Chase.

The Charlie Swan-trained horse has only won once over hurdles in his career but ran a fine third to Kadoun at Cheltenham, a run that suggested he should have won easily at Fairyhouse last month.

However, Oodachee looked far from a straightforward ride when beaten by Justpourit and it will be interesting to see how the champion jockey manages to coax him to the line.

In the circumstances maybe the Ballynoe point-to-point winner Glacial Ridge could be a better betting option.

Swan also gives Ground Ball a run on the level in the concluding flat race where Johnny Murtagh's mount Liss Ard is a clear ratings stand out. However, the decent handicap hurdler Emotional Article ran a nice race behind Catch Me at Tipperary last time and might be a value alternative.