Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

WILLIE Mullins has worked the oracle on countless occasions in the past with a variety of horses but he pulled off one of his most outstanding feats here in producing Klassical Dream in peak shape for his return from 497 days off to run riot over a three-mile trip that was a major unknown for him.

The former star novice carried all before him in the 2018/19 season when a Grade 1 hat-trick featured the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but he had struggled somewhat in two runs in open company the following campaign and he was unsighted since December 2019. After failing to take up an engagement over fences at Leopardstown over Christmas, Klassical Dream lined up here as an imponderable having never ventured beyond two-miles since arriving in Ireland.

However, there appeared to be a certain confidence surrounding the seven-year-old’s chances and he was backed from as big as 16/1 in the morning into 5/1.

Patrick Mullins took the mount on the Joanne Coleman-owned seven-year-old and Klassical Dream was conspicuous by the ease with which he cruised through the race.

Too free

This race got off to a false start which did the Cheltenham winner Flooring Porter no favours, and having gotten very lit up he was much too free throughout the race and was a spent force from the third last. By contrast, Klassical Dream moved through the race with the utmost economy and there only looked to be one possible winner of this race from two out.

On the run to the last flight Mullins let out an inch or two of rein to allow Klassical Dream stride on and he stormed clear to trounce his stablemate James Du Berlais, who ran a huge race on his second start for Willie Mullins, by nine lengths. Ronald Pump was an honourable third.

“He had worked very well during the week. David Casey rides him in his work all the time and had been telling me he was going very well,” said Mullins.

“Patrick was quietly confident all week and I was hoping for his sake that he was right and he was. Unfortunately John Coleman didn’t live long enough to see him win at Cheltenham but it’s fantastic he’s come back for the Coleman family who are great family friends.

“He could say hurdling or go chasing and looking at him here anyone would be delighted to ride him over a fence. Staying hurdling is hard on horses and I’d rather go chasing and if that doesn’t work out he could go back hurdling.

“I think we could look at the French Champion Hurdle with him if we’re allowed go as he has had a very easy season.”

After adding yet another Grade 1 to his big race haul Patrick Mullins declared: “He got into a lovely rhythm. He was a very good novice hurdler but jumping two miles at championship pace just caught him out the following season. Eilish Byrne has looked after him for the last 18 months and she deserves huge credit.

“He jumped off like he’d be keen but he settled well after the first and jumped well all the way. He’s proved today he is a very good horse. I thought stepping up to three miles could work for him and it did.”