The first big race selection of the afternoon at Gowran Park on Thursday is the Willie Mullins trained Klassical Dream, as this race should be a formality for him if wanting to win the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March.
Klassical Dream, once a Grade One Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle Supreme Novice Hurdle winner in 2019, is now one of the best staying hurdles in national hunt racing.
Having had a tremendous season in 18/19, he came back looking to be Willie Mullins Champion Hurdle contender but on both his runs at the back end of 2019 nothing went to plan.
He was then not seen for 18 months with problems off the track, but he returned at the Punchestown festival in April 2021, trying three miles for the first time in the Grade One Champion Stayers Hurdle and he went on to bolt up by nine lengths.
This made him a strong candidate for the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival this term and he enhanced those credentials on his first run this term when seeing off dual Grade One winner Flooring Porter to land the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Looking to get another run in before the festival in March this looks a perfect event for him and although carrying top weight should be tough to beat.
He's back!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 28, 2021
Klassical Dream makes a fine return and remains unbeaten at three miles in the @TheDornanGroup Christmas Hurdle 👏 @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/NFqGOQExqm