RACING:GRADE ONE races by definition are select but it could be argued Fairyhouse's triple Grade One fixture tomorrow takes that to extremes with just 16 runners in total set to line up in the top-flight events and Mourad likely to take centre stage in the most valuable contest of all.

Just five are declared for the €80,000 Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, a race won by the champion Hurricane Fly last year, but which appears distinctly underwhelming in comparison this time round.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has elected not to run his French Champion Hurdle winner Thousand Stars and instead illustrates the strength in depth of his team by declaring three of the five runners.

One of those, Mikael D’Haguenet, is the sole Grade One winner in the Hatton’s Grace field but he also holds an entry at Fairyhouse today and is unlikely to run twice in 24 hours.

Instead it looks like Mourad is the Mullins standard-bearer and he is a horse that has had eight career Grade One starts to date without winning one of them.

The last of those was when fourth to Thousand Stars at Auteuil in June and in fairness to Mourad he has never finished out of the first four in those eight top-flight starts and has been running into the likes of Big Buck’s and Quevega while doing so.

“Mourad is in great form and I’m hoping he can still improve a bit. He’ll have no problem with the ground or the trip,” Mullins said yesterday.

Mourad’s overall level of form, and the white-hot form of the Mullins team in general, looks to give him an edge over last year’s Hatton’s Grace third Voler La Vedette and the progressive The Real Article.

Victory would also fill a rate Grade One gap in Ruby Walsh’s CV.

However, in a “Premier Jump Racing Weekend” festival context, those with an eye to the future will probably instead be concentrating on the two novice Grade One events and it will be intriguing in particular to examine Galileo’s Choice in the Royal Bond.

Testing ground and hurdles at Fairyhouse in December is a long way from Flemington in Melbourne or the Churchill Downs dirt in Kentucky but this is where Dermot Weld has elected to bring his hugely promising dual-purpose performer for just a second start over jumps.

After a Group Three flat success in the Kilternan Stakes in September, Galileo’s Choice had the Melbourne Cup in his sights only for a race technicality to scupper a prospective trip down under. Weld also considered a pop at the Breeders’ Cup Marathon last month but plans to go jumping have instead been followed through on.

Robbie McNamara’s mount faces just five in the Royal Bond but they include two from the Mullins yard, including the highly-rated Sous Les Cieux, and a Grade Three winner in Il Fenomeno.

He was also a Group Three winner in his native Italy but Galileo’s Choice is a Group Three winner here, won his sole start hurdles start to date, and looks a class apart from these in terms of flat quality. Very testing ground may be a concern but the horse owned by some of the most powerful names in the Weld yard could pick this up enroute to even better things.

If Willie Mullins dominates the Hatton’s Grace, then Gigginstown Stud’s handprints are all over the Drinmore Chase with Davy Russell picking First Lieutenant from a team of three, leaving Ruby Walsh on Bog Warrior.

The latter is a horse of huge promise whose Navan win last time has been boosted since by Flemenstar. But despite his name very testing ground may not be ideal for him and First Lieutenant does hold a valuable edge in terms of experience.

Runaway leader Russell set for productive afternoon

THERE'S A long way to go in this season's Irish jockeys' championship but Davy Russell looks to have a potential windfall in prospect at Fairyhouse today as he pursues a first career title, writes Brian O'Connor.

The Co Cork rider is currently on 65 winners this term, 23 ahead of the "old guard" of Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty and Paul Carberry.

Gigginstown Stud's continuing success looks like making Russell very hard to peg back and Michael O'Leary's team supply three interesting contenders at a meeting which has a rare morning kick-off.

The Cheltenham Festival hero Sir Des Champs makes his steeplechase debut in the Beginners Chase and looks a natural for fences while Willie Mullins also sends Toostrong for the first division of the maiden hurdle.

Zerashan ran off 100 on his last flat start for Michael Halford and is an interesting newcomer in the second division while Russell could also have the solution to the second handicap hurdle with Sweet Shock.