KLASS ACT Dream return on cards for Mullins’ ace on final day of festival
IRISH RACING
The Willie Mullinstrained five-year-old, who is bidding to give his stable a sixth win in the last eight runnings of this race, carried all before him as a novice hurdler last season.
He notched up three Grade 1 victories in succession with the highlight being his triumph in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Those efforts marked him out as a leading contender for this season’s Champion Hurdle but he was upstaged on his comeback in last month’s Morgiana Hurdle.
On that occasion Klassical Dream was beaten two and a half lengths into third by stablemate Saldier.
That was a respectable effort but Klassical Dream is capable of much better and should improve a lot for that run.
He could have most to fear from Gordon Elliott’s Coeur Sublime who impressed with his successful return at Down Royal last month.
That Grade 2 is a long way removed from the sort of test he will face here but it signalled that Coeur Sublime could be a player at the top level.
He wasn’t far off the best juvenile hurdlers last season as he showed when taking second in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Interestingly Elliott believes that his charge is a stronger, more mature sort this season.
On a potentially big day for the Mullins yard, The Big Getaway is a
ALSO bound for the Dublin Racing Festival is Gordon Elliott’s high class novice hurdler Fury Road.
The gelding took his tally over hurdles to three wins from as many starts with a smooth win in a Limerick Grade 2 on Friday. confident pick in the two and a half mile maiden hurdle.
This gelding showed good form in defeat on his first two bumper runs before winning impressively at Punchestown last month.
He appeals as one that could make a top class staying novice hurdler.
Mullins is also fancied to land the mares Grade 3 with Stormy Ireland who is a high class sort at her best.
She has yet to win at this trip but does boast some very good form over two and a half miles.
Indeed, if she ran anywhere close to her second in the mares hurdle at Cheltenham last season she would prevail.
In the Neville Hotels Novice Chase Battleoverdoyen is put forward to maintain his unbeaten record over fences.
He was workmanlike in a Grade 2 at Punchestown last time but was still good enough to beat a pair of decent and experienced opponents. There could be more to come from him over this trip and he can deal with Minella Indo who will improve for his reappearance second to Laurina at Gowran last month. Meanwhile, the classy Surin can make it three wins from as many starts this season in the Grade 3 Irish Independent Hurdle as Limerick’s Christmas fixture concludes. Gordon Elliott might also land the maiden hurdle with Zambezi Fix. In the mares beginners chase, Cut The Mustard stands out.
MICHAEL HALFORD’S team for the upcoming Dubai Racing Carnival will include the highly promising Simsir.
The three-year-old has won two of his three starts and warmed up for Dubai with a second in a good handicap at Dundalk recently.