Racing News and Roscommon preview: The Willie Mullins trained Nobody Told Me recorded a historic success in Saturday's French Champion Hurdle but her international travels may be only just beginning.
Mullins yesterday outlined a campaign that could take in September's Italian Champion Hurdle and end with the lucrative Nakayama Grand Jump in Tokyo in April.
"The conditions of races overseas suit her. She is not the biggest mare in the world and the weight scales seem to be more suitable," Mullins said.
"I think she would be ideal for the race in Japan which is over two-and-a-half miles on good ground.
"Long term we are looking at that but there is also a huge pot for the Italian Champion Hurdle in Merano in September."
In neither race is Nobody Told Me likely to start at the 33-1 odds she had at Auteuil on Saturday when the David Casey ridden winner beat the local favourite, Karly Flight, by two lengths in the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil.
The Irish star, a winner of the Menolly Homes Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown festival, had previously been well beaten by Karly Flight on the same course in May.
However, Nobody Told Me reversed the placings in style and became just the second overseas winner of the Grade 1, worth €123,750 to the first, after the legendary Dawn Run in 1984.
That mare was trained by Paddy Mullins and the symmetry of the achievement was not lost on his son yesterday.
"It was lovely to go back. I've been trying for the last few years to get there with horses like Catch Ball but it kept falling through. We didn't expect to win but we're obviously delighted and David gave her a great ride," Mullins said.
The Carlow based trainer will be at Royal Ascot this week and another Punchestown Grade 1 winner Holy Orders will again take his chance in tomorrow's Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes.
The six-year-old was beaten by just a neck by Thundering Surf in the Duke Of Edinburgh last season and ran in the same Prix La Barka that Nobody Told Me did at Auteuil last month.
This evening's action is at Roscommon where John Murtagh, leading rider at Royal Ascot for the last two years, could warm up for the festival with a win aboard Scarsdale in the seven furlong maiden.
This one went down by just a length to the Stakes contender Jakester at Gowran and a repeat of that might just be good enough.
The hike up to seven furlongs should be no harm to Willyever's chance in the Tulsk Handicap and the veteran ran well behind Brief Dance at Naas to show he is capable of picking up another race this season.
You Little Daisy had a first start since early December when third to Carolina and Sally Webster at Sligo recently. The run should have brought on the Roche contender who can go close in the maiden hurdle.
