Master Irish trainer Willie Mullins wins a fourth Alain du Breil Prize – Grand Spring Hurdle Race for Four-Year-Olds
Master Irish trainer Willie Mullins wins a fourth Alain du Breil Prize –
Grand Spring Hurdle Race for Four-Year-Olds
Race Summary
The Alain du Breil Prize (Group 1, the highest level of excellence in horse racing) is the major spring hurdle race for four-year-olds. A prestigious contest featuring, among others, Léopard du Berlais, Delmegan, and Edamura. Speed, pace, and horses still improving rapidly: everything was in place for a tremendous sporting spectacle — and it is fair to say the race lived up to expectations.
The 2026 edition went to Selma de Vary, bred and raised in France but trained by Irishman Willie Mullins. Considered the greatest jumps trainer in the world, Mullins recorded his fourth victory in the race following previous successes in 2023, 2016, and 2013. Partnered by Irish jockey Paul Townend, Selma de Vary proved strongest in the home straight, edging out the French mare Delmegan by a short head after a magnificent late effort. Léopard du Berlais, the hot favourite, finished third, six and a half lengths behind.
Bred by Jacques Cyprès and Guillaume de Saint-Seine, president of France Galop, Selma de Vary began her career in France and even won at Auteuil when trained by Emmanuel Clayeux. She was subsequently exported to Ireland. Since arriving there at the end of 2025, she has raced in the colours of Rich Ricci, an American-born businessman who made his fortune in banking. He notably served for many years as co-chief executive of Barclays’ investment banking division.
Official Result
1st — SELMA DE VARY (P. Townend)
2nd — DELMEGAN (T. Chevillard)
3rd — LEOPARD DU BERLAIS (J. Charron)
Quotes from the Winners
Paul Townend (jockey of Selma de Vary, 1st) – Ireland
“Selma de Vary is a very tough filly. She has had a very long season, starting in France before continuing in Ireland, at Cheltenham and Aintree. The rain helped her today. I would have preferred to wait a little longer because the home straight is very long. But what a tough filly she is!”
Harold Kirk (bloodstock agent representing the Mullins stable at Auteuil, 1st) – Ireland
“Yes, it was worth coming over for a very rainy day in Paris! What a ride! Paul Townend is a brilliant jockey, but she is also a very good filly. And she has had a demanding season, you know. She raced in France until November, then went to Cheltenham, then Liverpool, and now here. But she has shown that she is mentally very, very strong. She is brilliant. Emmanuel Clayeux recommended her to us, and we have bought many very good horses from Emmanuel Clayeux. He told us she was very good… and she really is. She is a tough filly and the more it rains, the better it is for her. She loves soft ground. Paul felt they went too fast up front and knew they would come back to him. But that is also the way she needs to be ridden because you have to get her to relax. He said the strong pace helped her a lot. He even thought he hit the front too soon! Across the Channel, she has already finished second in a Group 1, beaten only narrowly, and fourth in the Triumph Hurdle. And we are still learning about her. We are still trying to teach her to relax. But she is a very, very good filly. She could stay over hurdles or perhaps go chasing one day. She can do everything, really. One day she could become a Champion Hurdle mare. She is by Zarak out of a mare by Authorized. She was born to be very good. But I must say Emmanuel Clayeux told us she was very good. And when Emmanuel Clayeux says a horse is very good, it is generally true!”
Théo Chevillard (jockey of Delmegan, 2nd)
“It is always frustrating to be beaten by such a small margin, but she still managed to rally again and trouble the winner. Delmegan travelled beautifully throughout the race and, looking back on it now, I have no excuses. We knew Selma de Vary was very good: she was only beaten by Mange Tout at Aintree, and we know the quality of Mange Tout, as she was trained by Elisabeth Allaire at the start of her career.”
Pierre Pilarski (owner of Léopard du Berlais, 3rd)
“We were beaten by better horses today, there is no doubt about that. Of course I am disappointed because we would have liked to win, but we also have to accept the reality of the race. Léopard du Berlais still finished strongly and Johnny Charron was pleased with his performance. It is a bit in line with his comeback run: he finishes well, without much separating them at the line. Perhaps the fact that he has not raced recently is still affecting him a little, or perhaps we simply came up against stronger rivals. At three years old, he showed such exceptional ability that it naturally created enormous expectations around him.
But he absolutely does not look like a horse who has lost his desire, quite the opposite. We discussed with Johnny Charron what might come next for him, including the possibility of switching to steeplechasing, but he believes the horse still has plenty to achieve over hurdles.”