Looking to Sceaux to have us tingling

Un De Sceaux will be our first runner in Britain this season when he lines up for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

There was much speculation during the week as to whether we'd run Douvan or Un De Sceaux in the race and, in the end, we opted for Un De Sceaux because he is a hardened and experienced campaigner.

We decided it was a prudent decision to let him take his chance rather than pitching Douvan into such a competitive Grade 1 for his first start of the season and in view of him coming straight out of the novice ranks. He'll probably reappear in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork next weekend.

Making late decisions about running plans for big races mightn't suit everyone, but it has been our policy to leave such decisions until they have to be made.

There's no point in announcing plans until they are finalised and we never said whether it would be Douvan or Un De Sceaux representing us today until declaration time on Thursday. Others obviously had their own ideas, but that isn't a concern to us.

It will be a tough assignment for Un De Sceaux on his first start since June. Although there is only a small field, it looks a strong race, but he is a four-time Grade 1 winner over fences and has experience of Sandown, having run second to Sprinter Sacre in the Celebration Chase there at the end of last season. Hopefully, Ruby (Walsh) will be able to put that experience to good use.

Castello makes hurdles bow

Castello Sforza, one we've always liked, makes his debut over hurdles in the 2m2f Irish Racing Yearbook Maiden Hurdle (2.0) at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

He was a very smart bumper horse, winning over today's course on his debut and then after almost a year's absence ran a blinder to finish fourth in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March. He's been schooling well, is in good form and we're hoping for a big run.

Jarry D'Honneur, who goes in the 2m1f handicap chase (12.55), won twice over fences last season and ended his campaign when scoring over today's trip at Navan in March.

It will be his first run in a handicap and he has plenty of weight, but a greater concern is the ground, which looks like being quicker than ideal for him. He's well and, hopefully, he'll be able to pick up some prize-money.

Childrens List starts off over fences in the 2m5f beginners' chase (11.55). Based on his hurdles form, he mightn't be good enough to win what looks being a competitive race, but he will love the ground and that should help.

Childrens List makes his debut over fences at FairyhouseCredit: Patrick McCann

Bon Papa, a newcomer by Network, goes in the bumper (3.40). He's been going well at home and strikes me as a nice prospect for hurdling later in the season.

His pedigree suggests he'd appreciate plenty of cut in the ground. We'll have to wait and see if that is the case, but we decided to get him out to see what he can do.

Mag on mission to make it 11

A big day at Fairyhouse on Sunday with three Grade 1 races on a card sponsored by Barney O'Hare's Bar-One-Racing. Barney has been a terrific supporter of Fairyhouse in recent years and his sponsorship today includes €100,000 handicap hurdle over two miles, which is a great addition to the meeting.

We run three in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle (1.40) with Ruby (Walsh) choosing Vroum Vroum Mag over Shaneshill (Paul Townend) and Whiteout (Danny Mullins).

Vroum Vroum Mag has never been beaten in ten starts for us and she will be having her first run since dropping to two miles and winning the Punchestown Champion Hurdle at the end of last season.

She seems to be in good form and has proven herself very versatile in terms of distance. We'll probably mix it between hurdles and fences with her again this season.

It looked as if Shaneshill needed the race at Navan last month when he finished third in the Lismullen Hurdle. That run should have brought him on and, if it has, he should be competitive. Another versatile performer, he's stronger now than he was last season.

Whiteout gave her owners a great day out at their local track when winning the Grade 1 mares' hurdle at the Punchestown festival in April.

She hasn't run since being pulled up after making a bad mistake early on in the French Champion Hurdle in June. She's ready to start back and if she can improve a bit then she will have a chance of finishing in the money.

We're also three-handed in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (1.10), in which Ruby rides Penhill, who is four from five over hurdles. He's been progressing with every run and a bit more improvement today will put him in with every chance.

Official ratings plus her 7lb mares' allowance would suggest Airlie Beach should be the pick of our trio and it will be interesting to see how her rating stacks up.

She's unbeaten in six starts, five of them over hurdles, and has won from 2m up to 2m6f. So she's done all we've asked of her and, while this will be her first venture into Grade 1 company, she's very well and has plenty going for her.

Saturnas completes out challenge for a race in which we've a good record in recent years. He was impressive when winning a maiden by eight lengths on his hurdling debut at Naas last month. We're hoping he's come on for the run, although he lacks the experience of our other two runners.

Sempre Medici has top weight in the big 2m handicap hurdle (2.10), so he's facing a tough task. When you've got a horse with a high rating who isn't up to winning a Grade 1 race, opportunities are a bit limited but he's in good form and we thought he deserved a shot at such a big pot.

The goodish ground will suit him whereas Upazo, who goes in the same race with a nice low-weight, would prefer it softer. He's going back over hurdles after disappointing over fences last time and has has shown his liking for Fairyhouse – both his hurdle wins were over the course.

Bapaume is going in at the deep end in the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle (12.40). He's having his first run for us, having won over hurdles in France in April. He's well and we're hoping for a good run, but it could be a big ask for him. There aren't many options for him at this stage of the season.

Getabird, who won a point-to-point in April, is a nice addition to our team. He's been working well and we're expecting a good performance from him in what could be a pretty hot bumper (3.40).

My week

High point
It has to be the performances of our novice chasers Bellshill and Min last weekend when they started off over fences in impressive style at Gowran Park and Navan. Both jumped flawlessly and won by wide margins.Their displays couldn't have been more encouraging for the rest of the season. Bellshill will probably be concentrating on races from two and a half miles upwards while Min, who is a much stronger horse this season, will be racing over two miles or thereabouts.

Low point
Miss Me Now was very disappointing at Thurles on Thursday when she was pulled up in the mares' hurdle when tailed off. Having won on her reappearance at Clonmel last month, we were expecting a much better run from her. She was lame behind after the race and that might have been a factor, but Ruby said she was very dead in the race and gave him no sort of feel at any stage.

Ask Willie

How important was Florida Pearl as a horse for you while getting established as a trainer? and how good was he in comparison to the other top horses you have trained?
Dereck McGeehan
Dublin

He was very important in raising the profile of the yard. When he arrived on the scene we were best known for our bumper horses and hurdlers. After he won the bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in 1997 we decided against a hurdling campaign and to send him straight over fences the following season. He won the RSA Chase at Cheltenham and that was the first of eight Grade 1 chases he won. He won the Hennessy at Leopardstown four times, a King George, a Punchestown Gold Cup and a John Durkan Memorial. He kicked everything up a gear for us.

Florida Pearl didn't manage to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup but he was placed in the race a couple of times and, yes, he was right up there with the best chasers we've trained. He had pace and stamina and was a very good jumper. He was an expensive purchase after winning his point-to-point but once the late Archie O'Leary knew how much I liked the horse, he was more than happy to buy him. He won 16 races for Archie and his wife, Violet, whose colours he carried.