Klassical Dream made a faultless start to his career over fences in the BetVictor Irish EBF Beginners Chase at Thurles on Thursday.

The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old has an impressive seven Grade 1 successes over hurdles on his CV, including three back-to-back wins in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown.

His chasing debut came over two miles and six furlongs at Thurles, where he was the 1/4 favourite under Paul Townend in a field of 11.

Making the running from the start, the gelding was foot perfect at every fence and made incredibly light work of the race to canter home nine and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival with the rest of the field strung out behind him.

“We’d have been disappointed if we were beaten, but he was foot perfect everywhere. He was quick getting from A to B and behaved himself relatively well as well, so maybe he has grown up,” Townend said.

“I never had to interfere as he was lining up his fences from 10 strides away and I only had to encourage him and not fall off. He was good and clever and was able to sort himself out at fences as well, which was a nice thing to take from it.

“He achieved a lot over hurdles and was a high-class horse to be going chasing. He had done plenty schooling and has taken to it really well.

“He hasn’t a million miles on the clock either and has loads of fire in his belly.”