U-turn: Baie Des Iles heads back home after missing out on Grand Steeple-Chase

Ross O'Sullivan has had 11 months of planning left in tatters after Baie Des Iles, a Grade 2 winner at Auteuil last June, was one of three horses to be eliminated from Sunday's Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, a race with a maximum field of 20.

The eight-year-old mare was on her way to Paris from County Kildare but, on her journey through Britain she was turned around at Warwick when the news came through that she was one of those to miss out on ratings.

"I'm told it's a very long time since any horse has been eliminated from the Grand Steep so it's very disappointing," said O'Sullivan. "I had hoped that her Prix des Drags form might have been taken into consideration."

Baie Des Iles flanked by husband and wife training team Ross O'Sullivan and Katie WalshCredit: Patrick McCann

Baie Des Iles became a rare foreign-trained winner over the Auteuil chase course when defeating Bipolaire – the highest-rated runner in Sunday's race and among the favourites.

The French handicapper gave her a rating of 168 for that success but, after Baie Des Iles followed that with a sequence of 7P2F in her next four starts, her UK and Irish mark has dropped to 142, meaning she misses out alongside the Willie Mullins-trained Class Conti.

O'Sullivan added: "It's out of our hands. We sent the filly in great form and Robbie Power was looking forward to riding her. The whole season had been focused on that and the owner, Zorka Wentworth, is naturally disappointed.

"Paul Townend rode her the last day at Down Royal and she was hacking, he said she would definitely have won. It would have been the ideal prep."

Power has picked up a spare ride in the shape of 2018 Grand National runner-up Pleasant Company, one of five declared runners for Mullins.

O'Sullivan must now keep Baie Des Iles sweet for the defence of her Grade 2 crown in three weeks time. "The Prix des Drags is the race to focus on now and she loves Auteuil," he said.

Get exclusive insight from the track and live tipping with Raceday Live - our up-to-the-minute service on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app