Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle

(Grade 1)

FOUR of the last six winners of the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle have gone on to record Grade 1 honours at the Cheltenham Festival, and the same fate looks highly likely for Ballyburn on the evidence of superb seven-length strike for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend.

Ronnie Bartlett and David Manasseh’s 10/11 favourite delivered the most impressive novice hurdling performance of the Dublin Racing Festival in readily accounting for the useful Slade Steel and King Of Kingsfield.

The powerful showing means he is now priced between 5/4 and 7/4 for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - having been a top price of 5/1 beforehand - and 11/10 to 3/1 for the Baring Bingham (formerly sponsored by Ballymore).

Mullins, who was winning this Grade 1 for the 11th time in the space of 12 runnings, did not want to speak about future targets but reflected: “It was a great performance. He hit the front so far out and yet he met hurdle after hurdle right.

“I think he was in control the whole way. Paul was very happy with how he did things. He did everything right over the minimum trip, which is good. He has a very low head carriage, which is usually a good sign in a horse. I like it, but it’s not nice for the jockeys at times! You’ve got to have total confidence in your horse.”

On the runner-up Slade Steel, Henry de Bromhead said: “It was a super run. I think he’s versatile in terms of trip, he proved that [over two and a half miles] at Navan last time. I do feel he’ll be better on nicer ground but the winner was very good. I thought it looked a very good race and the time looked strong. I’m as happy as you can be when finishing second.

“We’ll look towards one of the two novice hurdles at Cheltenham, the Supreme or Baring Bingham. I’d hate to put anyone wrong by saying anything at this stage, we’ll see.”