Ferny Hollow and Gentleman De Mee set for weekend return

Willie Mullins is set to unleash both Ferny Hollow and Gentleman De Mee this weekend with the pair limbering up for their seasonal comebacks.

Ferny Hollow has not been seen since December last year due to injury but managed to win a Grade One before his season was interrupted.

Gentleman De Mee signed off last term with a trio of wins, culminating in a defeat of the Arkle hero Edwardstone by four and a half lengths at Aintree.

On Saturday Naas hosts the Barberstown Castle Poplar Square Chase, a Grade Three contest over two miles, for which both horses hold an entry with duo also entered for the Sean P. Muldoon & Patrick F. Gormley Fortria Chase on Sunday at Navan.

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father Willie, said: “The plan will be to run either Ferny Hollow or Gentleman De Mee (at Naas), with the other going to Navan on Sunday.

“Ferny Hollow is 100 per cent. We’re very happy with him. He’s working well and schooling well but we just need to get experience. He has a massive deficit in the experience ledger so these Grade Three and Grade Two races are very important to him in that respect.

“Gentleman De Mee is good as well. We’re hoping he’s going to be a Champion Chase horse and in all those Grade One two-mile chases so it would be great to start off with some good match practice before taking on the open company horses.”