Rubhahunish was today reported 'in very good shape' for his tilt at Saturday's French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil.
The nine-year-old, a winner at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals last season, is set to be the sole overseas challenger for the Grade One Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil which carries around £170,000 in prize money.
Carl Llewellyn will ride Rubhahunish, who will be a first runner in France for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies.
'He went out there yesterday and he is in very good shape,' Twiston-Davies said.
'Carl is going out there tomorrow to school him and he will go back on Saturday.'
Rubhahunish will be bidding to add to his wins in the Ladbrokes Casinos Final at Cheltenham and Ballymore Properties Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown in the spring.
He ran nine times during a busy 1999/2000 season but Twiston-Davies has no qualms about prolonging his campaign.
'The race is worth a lot of money - 800,000 francs to the winner - and he is in good form,' the trainer said.
Rubhahunish benefited from a switch to front-running when gaining his first Grade One win at Punchestown but tactics for Saturday have yet to be determined.
Twiston-Davies said: 'I have never had a runner in France before but I understand they tend to go steadily and then speed up at the end so I don't know what we'll do - I'll leave it up to Carl.'
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