Picture: Wayne Kieswetter and Il Etait Temps (Credit: Sporting Post)
The Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait Temps, who runs in the Hollywood Syndicate colours and is part-owned by the Kieswetter’s Barnane Stud, runs at Leopardstown tomorrow in the Gr 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase over two miles and one furlong.
The off time is 16h25 South African time.
Il Etait Temps will be up against the unbeaten superstar, the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale, who won last season’s Gr 1 Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and who won his recent chase debut over tomorrow’s course and distance by 8,5 lengths.
Mullins already has a Gr 1-winning novice chaser this season, Gaelic Warrior, but he has decided to avoid a clash with Marine Nationale and has rather left Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps in the Irish Arkle field.
Il Etait Temps won his chase debut over two miles and two-and-a-half furlongs at Thurles, but was beaten 5,5 lengths by Gaelic Warrior in the Gr 1 Guinness Faugheen Novice Chase over two miles and three-and-a-half furlongs at Limerick.
Il Etait Temps is only a best 20/1 shot in tomorrow’s six horse field and will be ridden by Danny Mullins.
Meanwhile, back in South Africa Hollywood had something to celebrate on Wednesday as one of their sponsored trainers Brett Crawford sent out a five-timer at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth including clinching the trifecta in one of the races. The Hollywood team made the below artwork to commemorate the occasion:
