The Champion Hurdle dream burns bright after Klassical's latest romp

Punchestown's Champion Novice Hurdle now has Klassical Dream on its roll of honour.

By this time next year Willie Mullins hopes his thrilling French import will also have a place on Cheltenham's Champion Hurdle roll of honour.

It is an ambition that looks entirely realistic. For after storming to a four-and-a-half-length success in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Klassical Dream followed up in Punchestown's Herald-backed equivalent contest with a similarly decisive five-and-a-half-length triumph.

Watch Klassical Dream's success in the Champion Novice Hurdle

Bookmakers liked what they saw. Joanne Coleman's five-year-old is now no bigger than 7-1 for the Champion Hurdle, while BoyleSports were sufficiently impressed to offer only 4-1, promoting him to favourite in their lists above title holder Espoir D'Allen.

Klassical Dream has Felix Desjy well adrift at PunchestownCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Klassical Dream will need to improve again if he is to take the most coveted crown in hurdling but he is an athlete on a roll, having won all four of his races this season, the last three of them in Grade 1 company.

On this occasion the 8-13 market leader was the only horse to go in pursuit of the front-running Aintree winner Felix Desjy. After pursuing him, he went past him and then clear to easily beat that rival. His Mullins-trained stablemates Mister Blue Sky, Quick Grabim and Aramon filled the third, fourth and last spots.

"He's four from four this season and that takes a bit of doing," said Ruby Walsh, who also offered some interesting insight to his boss.

"I loved it," said Mullins. "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."

The next time we see Felix Desjy will be in a novice chase.

"It was a good run and I'm very happy," said trainer Gordon Elliott. "He ran his race and there are no excuses. He'll go on holiday and jump fences next season, 100 per cent."

What is also 100 per cent clear is when a horse emigrates from France to Closutton you have every reason to be hopeful, as was noted by bloodstock agent Pierre Boulard, who bought Klassical Dream with a record of one win from seven French starts.

"You bring a good horse to Willie and Willie makes him a champion," said Boulard.

Willie has made Klassical Dream a champion novice. He will now try to make him a Champion Hurdle hero.

Expert assessment

Klassical is a Dream of a horse
It is easy to wax lyrical about any Grade 1 winner, but Klassical Dream is certainly a top-class horse and as far as cliches go, the sky is certainly the limit for him.

The five-year-old has done nothing but improve and impress in four starts since joining Willie Mullins from France, and after a dominant display in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham he fairly stormed clear of five rivals to land his third top-level victory.

Now proven at the minimum trip on an array of different ground, Klassical Dream must be considered as a leading two-mile hurdler and should go close in the 2020 Champion Hurdle, especially given the disappointing performances of the fancied contenders in this year's running. Quotes of 6-1 are fair.

The Champion Hurdle isn't the be-all and end-all either as he will stay a trip in time and will definitely jump a fence. What a fantastic prospect.
Tom Collins

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