TWO of the most popular horses in Irish racing, Hewick and Flooring Porter, are among a strong Irish entry of seven in the Grade 1 Racing TV Grand Course De Haies D’Auteuil (French Champion Hurdle) next Saturday (20th).

Gavin Cromwell is no stranger to success in France, having sent out Princess Yaiza to win at Longchamp on Arc weekend but Flooring Porter will be his first runner over jumps in the country.

“He leaves here on Tuesday to be there for Wednesday, and we’re very much looking forward to it,” the Meath trainer told The Irish Field. “His last two runs weren’t bad, they were probably good enough actually, but I suppose he has been vulnerable in both cases by making the running and setting the races up for everyone else.

“I know he won two Stayers Hurdles doing that but I just think he has paid the price the last twice, certainly when Sire Du Berlais came through to get him at Aintree. But he has still run well and we’ll see how he goes in France.

“I think the hurdles will suit him. He is quite a good jumper, he’s not a real low slick hurdler, he makes a shape at his hurdles and he’s quite athletic so I think he’ll jump them well. Danny (Mullins) has plenty of experience at the track and he’s of the same opinion.”

Hewick bounced back from his horror fall in the Gold Cup to win the Grade 2 Oaksey Chase last month and Shark Hanlon is similarly confident the eight-year-old will prosper in this sort of test.

“He schooled in Joseph O’Brien’s on Thursday,” Hanlon said. “Joseph has two French style hurdles, so fair dues to him for letting me use them. He jumped lovely so it’s all go.

“I think he’ll have no problem staying the trip and the ground will be fine. The only reason I don’t want soft ground for him in Ireland is because the fences look so big, he’s only a small horse.

“The hurdles over there are halfway between a hurdle and a fence and that will suit him. It looks like a very good race but he is entitled to go.”

Willie Mullins, who has won the race five times, and has four entries - Asterion Forlonge, Kilcruit, Klassical Dream and Haut En Couleurs - while Emmet Mullins has intriguingly entered his Grade 1 novice chase winner Feronily.

There should also be Irish representation in the other two Grade 1 contests, which take place on Sunday (21st) on the marquee weekend of French jump racing.

In the Prix Alain de Breuil, a four-year-old contest, Willie Mullins has Gala Marceau and Zarak The Brave, who could be joined by Joseph O’Brien’s Nusret and Andy McNamara’s Enjoy The Dream.

Mullins is also set to take on the Grand Steeple Chase de Paris with Franco De Port and Carefully Selected, with Emmet also entering Noble Yeats.