Evergreen 11-year-old Home By The Lee targets French Champion Hurdle with spring Grade 1 hat-trick up for grabs

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Home By The Lee will bid to complete a perfect spring hat-trick on Saturday by adding the Grade 1 Racing TV Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil to his victories at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals.

Trained by Joseph O’Brien for owner-breeder Sean O'Driscoll, the 11-year-old has brought his performances to a whole new level in 2026, with a win in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park followed by Grade 1 successes in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

“We can’t wait to be there,” said O’Driscoll. “The three best performances of his career are his last three. It’s remarkable to say that. As owners, we all have happy days and difficult days, but we always go racing with enthusiasm. When a horse delivers, it makes up for everything else.”

Home By The Lee finished sixth behind Losange Bleu, who reopposes, the last time he contested the French Champion Hurdle in 2024, and his trainer is confident his horse is arriving at Auteuil this time in even better shape.

O'Brien said: “He's had a fantastic season and we're looking forward to seeing how he performs. He's seemed in great form since Aintree and everything has gone smoothly in his preparation for this race.

“He’s been in tremendous form this year. He outstayed everything at Cheltenham and then again at Aintree. He’s a superstar, but he’s also a complicated horse and not the easiest to train.”

JJ Slevin partners Home By The Lee in the 11-runner contest at Auteuil, while Sam Twiston-Davies rides the Paul Nicholls-trained Henri The Second and Derek Fox gets the leg up on Apple Away, trained by Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.

What they say

Bertrand Le Metayer, racing manager to JDG Bloodstock Services, owners of Theleme
He definitely needed his first run back. Then we didn't want to go too hard in the prep race, and recently he’s been extremely impressive in his work.

Dominique Bressou, trainer of Losange Bleu
We won’t change Losange Bleu’s tactics. When we've tried to hold him up, especially on seasonal reappearances, we've often been beaten. He's well. Everything just needs to go smoothly and may the best horse win.

David Cottin, trainer of Jet Blue
He's in very good shape. We've kept him fresh and he’s got stamina. I hope to see him run very well.

Noel George, joint-trainer of Illusion Machine and It’s Win O’Clock
Illusion Machine has matured enormously since his four-year-old season. We'll arrive at the race with freshness on our side. His preparation has gone very smoothly. With It’s Win O’Clock, the original plan was not to run, but the rain came and he loves heavy ground.

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Apple Away
She was simply incredible at Perth. It was a fantastic comeback run and we can now look towards Auteuil with a fair degree of optimism. It’s a slightly different discipline, but the race is usually run on softer ground, which should suit, and she'll also benefit from the mares’ allowance.

Saturday's Raceday Intel:

'He's ready to go' - Zeus Olympios targets Group 1 glory against stacked Lockinge field 

Derby flop to star miler? Gosdens' powers of reinvention put to the test with fascinating Lockinge favourite 

'She's looked destined for the top and the favourite may need to be top class to beat her' - Jason Weaver gives his view 

'I think he'll win the Commonwealth Cup so take the 16-1 now' - Johnny and DJ with their weekend wagers, Classic tips and thoughts on VAR 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.