Haut En Couleurs and Sharjah headline two intriguing races on Red Mills day at Gowran Park

Dual Champion Hurdle runner-up Sharjah and the lightly raced chaser Haut En Couleurs are the headline acts on Red Mills day at Gowran Park.

Willie Mullins has won the Grade 3 Red Mills Trial Hurdle (2.17) six times and relies on Sharjah, who has been a regular in the top two-mile Grade 1 races in recent years. Patrick Mullins retains the fruitful partnership he has built with the six-time Grade 1 winner, with their first success in the Galway Hurdle in 2018.

Sharjah has just turned ten but is maintaining a high level of form judged on his two efforts this season behind State Man. His rider is hoping the drop in class will suit.

Mullins said: “I’m delighted to be back on Sharjah. This is his first time dropping out of Grade 1 company over jumps since 2018 so hopefully he will enjoy this drop in class. It’s a home game for us at our local track so I would like to think he will be hard to beat.

“He's still competitive at Grade 1 level but at two miles there are a couple of younger horses coming by him. I’d be interested to see him in maybe the Aintree Hurdle in the spring.”

Fil Dor: Sharjah's main rival in the Grade 3 eventCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Gordon Elliott takes on Sharjah with two intriguing contenders in Fil Dor and Doctor Bravo. Fil Dor, the mount of Jordan Gainford, reverts to hurdling having won one of his three starts over fences this season. He was a smart juvenile hurdler last season, whereas the Denis O'Regan-ridden Doctor Bravo takes a jump in grade after two runs in maiden hurdles.

Elliott said: “Fil Dor seems to have lost his confidence over fences so we will give him a go here and see where we are with him. Doctor Bravo takes a big step up in class but if you take Sharjah out of it then it is an open race so we will let him take his chance.”

The Padraig Butler-trained Da Capo Glory returns from a nine-month layoff. He finished third behind El Fabiolo and Ha D’Or in a novice hurdle at last season’s Punchestown festival when last in action and is a course-and-distance winner.

The Red Mills Chase (3.27) has a small but select field dominated by Mullins, who has three of the five runners as he seeks to land this contest for the seventh time. Haut En Couleurs is the choice of Paul Townend and he was running a career best over fences in a Grade 2 at Thurles last time before coming down at the final fence.

He had hit the front and was going strongly before exiting the race won by Ascot Chase favourite Fakir D'Oudairies and Patrick Mullins is hoping he can reproduce the promise of that run.

Mullins said: ”Haut En Couleurs was very unlucky the last day. We've always thought a lot of him and we're hoping he can confirm what he was going to show at Thurles. He's only just turned six and hopefully can keep improving through the spring."

Haut En Couleurs: favourite for the Red Mills ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The JP McManus-owned Janidil and Capodanno are back in action for the first time since the Punchestown festival. Rachael Blackmore rides Janidil, who was a career-best second to Allaho in the Ryanair Chase last season, while Jody McGarvey partners Capodanno, a Grade 1 novice chase winner last spring.

Mullins said: “They have had little setbacks. Capodanno won a Grade 1 at Punchestown and the form looks very good but he has all the penalties courtesy of that win, so it could make life difficult for him. Janidil took a bad fall at Fairyhouse and was pulled up next time so we're hoping he can get a clear round and his confidence back.”

McManus has a third representative in the Joseph O'Brien-trained Darasso, who is ridden by Luke Dempsey. The ten-year-old put in an uncharacteristic below-par display at Naas last month but will likely bounce back as his overall profile is one of consistency. He showed a liking for this track over hurdles having won the Red Mills Trial Hurdle in 2019 and been runner-up in it twice since.

Battleoverdoyen completes the field for Elliott and Gainford and takes a step up in class after plying his trade in handicaps recently.

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