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thought this was an interesting pointer ..Nicols Canyon isnt good enough at 2 miles so might as well give it a go ?
Willie Mullins is considering sending Nichols Canyon and Shaneshill to America for the Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle at Iroquois racecourse in Nashville, Tennessee, on 14 May.
The race is part of the Brown Advisory Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge which involves the Ryanair World Hurdle and the Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle.
If any horse can win both Grade Ones within 12 months connections would earn a $500,000 bonus.
Both races are run over three miles, which would represent a step-up in trip for Nichols Canyon.
There are ten entries for the American race, including Mullins' two inmates, both owned by Graham Wylie.
"I have Nichols Canyon and Shaneshill both nominated for the Houghland Iroquois Hurdle Stakes," he said.
"I am not familiar yet with what else is in the race and there a few other things I have to check out, but both horses are well and could potentially go out to the USA.
Both horses placed at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals, with Nichols Canyon avoiding the season-ending Punchestown festival.
Shaneshill ran in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown, also run over three miles, but fell at the final flight.
As a result, the US trip may come a bit soon, with Mullins saying "at the moment, probably Nichols Canyon is the horse we would hope to get out there, if not the two of them.
"I think we need to internationalise jumps racing and so I am happy to support the Brown Advisory Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge."
While America remains unconquered by Mullins to date, he won Japan’s Grand Nakayama Jump with Blackstairmountain in 2013.
The Closutton stable has had some success Stateside however – Paddy Mullins', Willie’s father, won the Dueling Grounds International Hurdle in Kentucky with Grabel in 1990.
The race is part of the Brown Advisory Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge which involves the Ryanair World Hurdle and the Calvin Houghland Iroquois Hurdle.
If any horse can win both Grade Ones within 12 months connections would earn a $500,000 bonus.
Both races are run over three miles, which would represent a step-up in trip for Nichols Canyon.
There are ten entries for the American race, including Mullins' two inmates, both owned by Graham Wylie.
"I have Nichols Canyon and Shaneshill both nominated for the Houghland Iroquois Hurdle Stakes," he said.
"I am not familiar yet with what else is in the race and there a few other things I have to check out, but both horses are well and could potentially go out to the USA.
Both horses placed at the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals, with Nichols Canyon avoiding the season-ending Punchestown festival.
Shaneshill ran in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown, also run over three miles, but fell at the final flight.
As a result, the US trip may come a bit soon, with Mullins saying "at the moment, probably Nichols Canyon is the horse we would hope to get out there, if not the two of them.
"I think we need to internationalise jumps racing and so I am happy to support the Brown Advisory Iroquois Cheltenham Challenge."
While America remains unconquered by Mullins to date, he won Japan’s Grand Nakayama Jump with Blackstairmountain in 2013.
The Closutton stable has had some success Stateside however – Paddy Mullins', Willie’s father, won the Dueling Grounds International Hurdle in Kentucky with Grabel in 1990.
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