'Foot-perfect' Klassical Dream cut for Cheltenham after impressing Paul Townend on chasing debut

A somewhat belated chasing debut it may have been, but it was one well worth waiting for as nine-year-old Klassical Dream put in an ultra-smooth performance to land the opening beginners' chase at Thurles.

Sent to the front from the off by Paul Townend, the manner in which the Willie Mullins-trained son of Dream Well stood off the first two fences, the second being the first of the ditches, set the tone for what was to come as he came out of Townend's hands at one or two obstacles and was efficient at all the others.

Runner-up Digby got within a length or so before the straight as the champion jockey was giving his mount a breather, but the seven-time Grade 1-winning hurdler eased clear early in the straight to score by nine and a half lengths, with second favourite Gold Bullion a similar margin back in third.

Paddy Power cut Klassical Dream for all of the novice chases at the Cheltenham Festival next March. He is now 10-1 (from 20) for the National Hunt Chase, 14-1 (from 20) for the Brown Advisory and 14-1 (from 25) for the Turners.

Townend said: "He was foot-perfect everywhere. He was very measured and he behaved himself relatively well too. He was lining up the fences himself and I never had to interfere.

"I just had to encourage him and avoid falling off! He was good and clever too. He just ran down the hill a little with me to the first down the back, but he was able to sort himself out and that was a nice thing to take from it too.

"He's done plenty of schooling and Willie has always toyed with the idea of going chasing. But then again he was achieving an awful lot over hurdles, he was a high-class horse to be going chasing. But there's a lot of fire still in his belly and he took to it really well."

Molly finds the formula

It is scarcely believable that it has taken Mollys Glory 12 runs and two years to break her duck over hurdles when you consider she was placed in a Listed and Grade 3 bumper, but she finally managed to when lasting out in the 2m7f mares' maiden hurdle.

The step up in trip and application of a tongue-tie were the main reasons put forward by trainer Michael Grassick for this victory, but a fine waiting ride by Michael O'Sullivan played its part too as the combination poached enough of an advantage to see off strong-finishing runner-up Workforadime by a length and three-quarters.

Grassick said: "She does a lot of messing with her tongue, so we said we'd try her in a tongue-tie and it obviously helped. Tom Dowling, who works for me, suggested stepping her right up in trip so I'll thank him. It looks as if she wants every bit of it."

Read these next:

Five novice hurdlers and chasers who could shake up the ante-post Cheltenham Festival markets this weekend 

Confirmed runners and riders for the 2023 Betfair Chase at Haydock - plus a big-race tip and free bet 

'It's been phenomenal but the time is right' - Grade 1-winning rider Denis O'Regan retires at Navan 

The jumps season is coming! Pick up your copy of The Big Jump Off, out now and packed with everything you need for the 2023-24 National Hunt season. Our brilliant 72-page supplement, including ante-post tips, guest columnists, top trainer profiles, divisional analysis and much more, is available to order from the Racing Post shop here.