Auteuil Racing Tips: Splash out on Hermes in Stayers' Hurdle

• Stratum up against it
• James Reveley in action
• Patrick Mullins' only ride fancied
• Sign up for our World Cup Newsletter here

There are several Grade 2 and 3 races at Cheltenham, Navan and Naas over the next two days but Auteuil trumps them all with four Grade 1s.

The first of them is today's €350,000 Grand Prix d'Automne at 15:07, one of the most valuable stayers' hurdles in Europe.

It has been won in the last decade by Reve De Sivola (Nick Williams 2013), Zarkandar (Paul Nicholls 2014), and Thousand Stars (Willie Mullins 2015) but only Mullins has a runner this time - Stratum 7.06/1, ridden by his nephew, Danny.

The nine-year-old has a devil of a task on his jumps form, though. He is rated 24-28lb inferior to the three market leaders, as his wins in minor company at Thurles in the last 18 months don't amount to much.

What a day for a Baie dream

L'Autonomie 4.3310/3, Hermes Baie 2.37511/8, and Theleme 4.03/1 on the other hand have all won Grade 1s around here.

L'Autonomie has been sent off odds-on for the last two runnings, coming third in 2020 and second last year with Folsom Prison 13 lengths back in third. Galop Marin who won both races is no longer in training, so L'Autonomie will be a popular choice to complete a 3-2-1.

Also in her favour is her age, as she is seven and Theleme and Hermes Baie, who beat her in the Prix Carmarthen last month, are five - no horse that young has won this Grade 1 since 2011.

Hermes Baie won both races when the three contested the Prix Leon Rambaud and the Grande Course de Haies in the spring. He leads Theleme 4-2 overall, though it has always been close.

My pick is Hermes Baie, given the trip and going, with Theleme and L'Autonomie to follow him home.

Former champ Reveley teams up with Tom George

Earlier on the card at 12:05 Tom George runs Instar De Reve 6.05/1 in the Prix Oenas.

The grey was brought down on his debut at Strasbourg, but bounced back from that at Le Touquet where he held the challenges of Irishca De Thaix and Impala De Kerza, whom he had passed on the run to the last.

This is a tougher race altogether and he needs to improve to beat the two that took the minor honours in the Prix La Fregate here last month.

Mercinette 3.259/4 was second, with Indulgente 5.04/1 four lengths back in third. Ziingara a distant fourth.

Where's The Party was another to win at Le Touquet while La Remontada won at La Teste De Buch, so we are talking mainly provincial form.

Mercinette has the best 'home' form and looks a worthy favourite.

Senam has each-way appeal

Felix De Giles' best chance of a winner on the card was Dreammy Bell in the Prix Magalen Bryant (Prix Bournosienne) at 12.40 but she is now a non-runner.

Dreammy Bell beat a previous winner and two subsequent winners on her debut at Dieppe but it was still quite a surprise when she pitched up at Auteuil on her second start and won the Grade 3 Prix De Chambly.

In her absence, the third home Angela Du Berlais 3.55/2 is the new favourite. Namour was fourth, Etoile Du Berlais fifth, Katiano Du Berlais seventh, and Villa Rica last of the nine to complete.

Jazzy Senam has raced exclusively at Auteuil, winning the Prix Auricola in March and the Prix De Nantes last month. She was also fourth in a Listed in April, eight lengths adrift of the third Villa Rica.

On a line through that one, Jazzy Senam is unlikely to be first past the post but is each-way value at 7.513/2.

Patrick Mullins has rare ride in Paris

I'm something of a handicap dodger, which is not hard in France with relatively few compared to England and Ireland.

However, I am drawn to the top weights in the Prix De France for amateur riders at 13:15 and the Prix Robert Weill for three-year-olds at 13:50.

Patrick Mullins is an astute booking for Doux Dingue in the former race, a 0-108 handicap.

The nine-year-old was rated 120 at his peak but his form has dropped off in the last 18 months and he just gets in here under the bar.

Etienne Leenders and his son Gregoire have done well to secure Ireland's No1 amateur for the classiest horse in the line-up. Mullins' mount appeals each-way at 15.014/1.

So too does Blade in the next.

His owner Sue Bramall did consider running her in-form son of Muhtathir in the Grade 1 three-year-old championship tomorrow but this less-demanding race makes more sense.

Blade is 3.7511/4 favourite this morning, but would be 20s if he had run in the Grande Course de Haies.

James Reveley has finished second on him three times - twice here at Auteuil - and is again in the saddle.