High-class mare Apple Away set for Grade 1 challenge in the French Champion Hurdle

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Apple Away will take the Old Gold Racing syndicate into uncharted territory when she lines up in Saturday's Grade 1 French Champion Hurdle for trainers Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.

While the joint-trainers expanded their international horizons when sending runners to Bahrain over the winter, Old Gold Racing have yet to have a runner outside Britain and Ireland. The nine-year-old is set to break new ground for the owners after an injury-hit campaign.

A Grade 1-winning novice hurdler in 2023, Apple Away suffered a small fracture in November and had two screws inserted into one of her legs, followed by eight weeks of box rest. She returned following a 171-day absence last month to win a Listed mares' chase at Perth.

"She came back to racing with a great run at Perth," said Scudamore. "We had this at the back of our mind if everything went well there, and Old Gold were keen to go to France. It's exciting for a syndicate like that. Hopefully, it will help raise their profile and give all their members a great occasion they won't forget."

Scudamore and stable jockey Derek Fox crossed the Channel on Monday and have settled into Amy Murphy's yard at Lamorlaye outside Paris, and the joint-trainer is hopeful that a light season will play into Apple Away's hands.

He said: "She hasn't had a full campaign and comes here fresh and well, whereas for a lot of these horses it's the end of their season – so hopefully that will stand her in good stead.

"She'll come on a fair bit from Perth. She was only just ready to come back there, but because of the lack of options we had to take our chance and it paid off.

"The nature of the track at Auteuil, the hurdles and soft ground should all really suit her. If she can get in the first four or five for a nice bit of prize-money, we'd be delighted."

Apple Away has ten rivals in the Racing TV-sponsored Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, including the Joseph O'Brien-trained Home By The Lee, Paul Nicholls' Henri The Second, and a home defence led by 2024 winner and last year's runner-up Losange Bleu.

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