Yorkhill on course to start over fences at Fairyhouse

Vroum Vroum Mag will be entered in both King George and Christmas Hurdle at Kempton

Yorkhill, ridden by Ruby Walsh, on the way to winning the Neptune Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this year. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho
Yorkhill, ridden by Ruby Walsh, on the way to winning the Neptune Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham earlier this year. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Willie Mullins has indicated last season's Neptune hero Yorkhill could make his debut over fences at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

Yorkhill is already favourite for the JLT Novice Chase at Cheltenham in March but is also as low as 10/1 favourite for the Champion Hurdle.

Mullins has left him among 18 entries for a two-mile Beginners Chase on Saturday and said: “He could possibly go there. At this point the plan is to go over fences but we will have to see what happens over the weekend.”

The champion trainer has also said Vroum Vroum Mag will be entered in both the King George VI Chase and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, although final running plans won't be made until next week.

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Both Faugheen and Annie Power will also be entered in the Christmas Hurdle and although both are yet to race this season Mullins is in no rush with either of them.

“As soon as they’re ready, and I think they’re right, they’ll be out. Hopefully they could be back for Christmas but if I’m not happy with them, I’m not happy with them,” he said.

Vroum Vroum Mag was just beaten by Apple’s Jade on her own first start of the campaign in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle earlier this month.

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor

Brian O'Connor is the racing correspondent of The Irish Times. He also writes the Tipping Point column