Klassical Dream continued his exceptional record at the Punchestown Festival with a victory in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday. He has won a Grade 1 at the meeting every year since 2019.
Klassical Dream continued his exceptional record at the Punchestown Festival by completing a hat-trick in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday.
It was a competitive field for the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle with eight runners, including Grade 1 Stayers' Hurdle and Liverpool Hurdle hero Sire Du Berlais, Grade 1 Hatton's Grace victor Teahupoo and Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Monkfish on his second start following a lengthy absence.
Jockey Paul Townend was able to hold the keen Klassical Dream in the rear for the majority of the race. He allowed the nine-year-old to make headway approaching the last hurdle, joining stable-mate Asterion Forlonge, who had been prominent throughout. The Gordon Elliott-trained Sire Du Berlais battled on with the Mullins pair over the final flight but was unable to make an impression on Klassical Dream, who idled in front before recording a half-length victory. Asterion Forlonge rallied to snatch second by a neck from Sire du Berlais with Teahupoo two-and-a-quarter lengths back in fourth.
It was a third-straight success in the Grade 1 Champion Stayers Hurdle for Klassical Dream and trainer Willie Mullins was pleased with the performance. "It was a masterclass in riding again from Paul, he's been doing it all season," he said. "It is a race we can take a lot of positives from. He was a very good second in the Grande Course at Auteuil last year and he might go back there again."
Asterion Forlonge's second marked a return to form. "Asterion Forlonge ran a cracker, he stayed on great at the end and looks to be back to himself," Mullins said. "He could well go to France for maybe the French Champion Hurdle. I wouldn't be averse to mixing it with him next season, but he has made a good case for staying over hurdles. He jumps them better and just tends to make a mistake over fences. I would say that is what will happen."
