Champion Hurdle Burns Bright for Klassical Dream's Future

Champion Hurdle Burns Bright for Klassical Dream's Future

The Champion Hurdle dream burns bright after Klassical Dream's latest demolition in the Herald Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Sent off the 8/13 favourite, the five-year-old just sat off the pace set by Felix Desjy before going clear on the crown of the bend for home.

Bar passing the Gordon Elliott six-year-old, Ruby Walsh did not see another rival on the way round, and after making it four from four since joining Willie Mullins' yard, attentions now turn towards a Champion Hurdle bid next season.

Joanne Coleman's French import is now no bigger than 7/1 for the opening championship race of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, while some bookmakers such as BoyleSports were more impressed to only offer 4/1.

His relentless market support has even placed him above Espoir D'Allen who surprisingly took the race two months ago for the combination of Mark Walsh and Gavin Cromwell, after Apple's Jade and Laurina failed to capitalise on Buveur D'Air's early fall.

Willie Mullins - who also filled the third and fourth spots in the race with Mister Blue Sky and Quick Grabim, was dazzled by the winners performance.

(Credit: Racing Post) He said: "Ruby felt he was too settled under him and he wasn't as pleased as at Cheltenham, but I thought at Cheltenham he just ran very free.

"You can't keep racing like that, so I was much happier with today's performance, albeit the second horse went to Cheltenham and Aintree and had two very hard races.

"This horse looks like he could be a bit above average. We might look at trying to make a Champion Hurdle horse out of him next season. I think he could be good enough. We'll see."

Klassical Dream has done nothing but improve and impress in four starts since joining Willie Mullins from France, following up from his Supreme Novice Hurdle triumph at Cheltenham.

His fourth victory and third Grade One, the gelded-son of Dream Well is now proven at the two-mile trip on varying grounds, and must be deeply considered a danger to all in the division next term.

Meanwhile Gordon Elliott's runner Felix Desjy did not disgrace in second after winning the Grade One Top Novices at Aintree three weeks ago, and the Grand National winning trainer spoke of his future plans.

He said: "The next time we see him [Felix Desjy] will be in a novice chase.

"It was a good run and I'm very happy. He ran his race and there are no excuses.

"He'll go on holiday and jump fences next season, 100 per cent," he said.