SIRE Du Berlais narrowly failed to complete a hat-trick of victories at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown although still finishes the season as the highest rated staying hurdler as Thursday’s Champion Stayers contest was very slowly run, especially in the formative stages.

Mark Walsh attempted to negate the slow gallop by challenging earlier, however, the valiant 11-year-old was unable to resist the finishing speed of the younger nine-year-old Klassical Dream who posted the fastest closing sectional of the day, stopping the clock at 58.6secs.

In comparison, Broomfield Bijou and Kilbeg King finished off their respective races in 58.8secs and 60.3secs.

Teahupoo ran a career best at Cheltenham but he was unsuited by the slow pace with the quicker ground also likely to have counted against Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old.

Gaelic Warrior staked his claim as the leading novice in the staying division with the most impressive win of the week in the Grade 1 for novices over three miles.

Taking a view from a weights and measures perspective, his 10-length beating of Affordale Fury would have seen him win the Albert Bartlett Hurdle, which his time figure behind Impaire Et Passe when adjusted for distance confirms.

The slow pace set by Favori De Champdou prevented the five-year-old replicating the performance over further, although his final circuit time and closing sectional were the quickest on the day over the smaller obstacles.

To provide further evidence of his supremacy over the Albert Bartlett runners, he covered the final circuit 1.6secs quicker than Sandor Clegane, who finished third to Stay Away Fay at Cheltenham.

The Rich Ricci-owned gelding then stretched his advantage further through the closing stages as he stopped the clock at 60.0secs, compared to the 62.1secs taken by Paul Nolan’s six-year-old.

If connections decide to stay over hurdles, the son of Maxios has the potential to top the staying hurdle division, especially if he can iron out his trait of shifting right when hitting the front. At a minimum next season, he will be back here to dethrone Klassical Dream.

ONE of the highlights of the week came in a race without obstacles as A Dream To Share produced a breathtaking performance to complete the Cheltenham and Punchestown Flat Race Grade 1 double.

In terms of a rating, it appears to be the quickest bumper I have ever recorded as it was almost as if the participants were running on a different course when compared to the hurdle races.

Quite simply, the data is compelling. The J.P. McManus-owned gelding covered the ground from the path just past the stands 5.5secs quicker than Gaelic Warrior which, when adjusted for the seven hurdles crossed by the staying novice hurdler, would equate to six and a half lengths.

However, rather than relying on a single race as an indicator the same exercise with Sandor Clegane confirmed the conclusion with the distance stretching to 16 lengths.

The caveat to the figures is that the hurdlers may not have run to their maximum, although this is highly unlikely given their advantage over the remaining hurdle races on the card.

The breakdown of the race portrays a strong early gallop with all the advantage gained through the early and middle section of the circuit which in turn also resulted in the closing stages being slow motion as the winner could only muster a closing sectional of 65.3secs (adjusted for hurdles) from the wings of the third last hurdle.

A tracker entry for the first five home should bring about early notification of more than a few graded novice hurdle winners next season.

Although not to the same level, given the 5.8secs time difference, the Grade 3 mares’ bumper is also sure to yield its share of winners as Junta Marvel would also have crossed the line in advance of Sandor Clegane.

The other bumper performance of note was Ballyburn with his overall time comparing well to Broomfield Bijou and his final circuit and closing sectionals only surpassed by Klassical Dream on the day.

Bialystock, Punchestown, Tuesday 25th April – a straightforward victory on handicap debut comprised a quicker final circuit than Grade 1 winner Facile Vega.

Dinoblue, Punchestown, Thursday 27th April – won with authority, her closing sectional comparing favourably with El Fabiolo, graded company awaits.

Lossiemouth, Punchestown, Saturday 29th April – produced her trademark turn of foot at the end of a strongly run race, she can challenge for top honours against her own gender next season.