Klassical Dream to bring badly needed clarity to Champion Hurdle market - Walsh

Ruby Walsh has labelled the Champion Hurdle picture foggy and believes Klassical Dream, the horse who gave him his 59th and final Cheltenham Festival victory in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, could yet come good on the biggest stage.

The two-mile hurdling division was dealt a blow earlier this summer when last season’s Champion Hurdle winner Espoir D’Allen suffered a fatal injury, while the former dual champion Buveur D’Air is out of action for the foreseeable future after picking up an injury in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.

However, criticisms of the current crop of two-mile hurdlers is unjust according to Walsh, who won the race twice on Hurricane Fly and once aboard Faugheen and Annie Power.

Envoi Allen: Gordon Elliott's crack youngster may run at the Dublin Racing FestivalCredit: Patrick McCann

The Paddy Power ambassador, who was speaking at a media event organised by the firm on Monday, believes it is far too early in the season to describe the division as weak, and admitted he would be keeping the faith with Klassical Dream, a general 4-1 favourite for the race.

Walsh said: “The Champion Hurdle picture is foggy, it's not weak. If Fusil Raffles bolts up in the Christmas Hurdle and Klassical Dream wins at Leopardstown, all of a sudden, what was this weak or glum picture becomes a lot more solid.”

He added: “It's only December and we're creating all this hype about it being the worst Champion Hurdle since the Champion Hurdle was invented. Please.

“I'd be keeping the faith with Klassical Dream and Sharjah did nothing wrong last year either. Saldier picked up a slight setback after winning the Morgiana but he'll be back in the new year and his form with Espoir D'Allen looks rock solid.

"I think people are drawing conclusions and a lot of it is hype driven because people want Envoi Allen to run in the Champion Hurdle.”

Asked his opinion on where Gordon Elliott's crack youngster should be aimed, Walsh replied: "When you're a novice you beat novices. That's my honest opinion. I work in media now, too, and I'm supposed to be hyping it up and creating the best events we can, but that's the way I'd be thinking.

“Alderbrook and Royal Gait won a Champion Hurdle as novices and Master Minded won a Champion Chase as a five-year-old. Of course it can be done, but it's not what I'd do."

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