Klass of the field key in Mullins’ treble bid
KLASSICAL DREAM can triumph in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3.30pm), the feature on the third day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.
Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old could easily bring up a Grade One treble for the Irish trainer in what may be a spectacular afternoon for the County Carlow handler.
Klassical Dream has had his problems since winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2019 and followed with another Grade One success at the Punchestown
Festival the following month. Then, after 487 days off the track last April, he stepped up markedly in trip to three miles and landed a superb success in the Grade One Labrokes’ Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the same venue.
Last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter was pulled up in that contest and Klassical Dream was again ahead of him when returning to action in December to win the Dornan Engineering Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Despite being beaten into fourth when long odds-on at Gowran Park at the end of January, he still looks like he can grab victory in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Paisley Park rolled back the years to win the Cleeve Hurdle at Prestbury Park last time out and last season’s Liverpool Hurdle winner Thyme Hill could also have a say in the finish.
Mullins’ ALLAHO looks too good for his rivals and can land a second successive victory in the Grade One Ryanair Chase (2.50pm).
The eight-year-old ran away with this Grade One 12 months ago beating subsequent Aintree Melling Chase winner Fakir D’Oudairies by 12 lengths.
Allaho was beaten by Chacun Pour Soi at the Punchestown Festival a month later. But he has impressed in winning his two runs this season, the first in the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase in December. Dan Skelton’s Shan Blue could potentially give him a fright.
Another Mullins’ star GALOPIN DES CHAMPS can start the big day for the County Carlow handler with victory in the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase (1.30pm). Just four run in the Grade
One opener to the day and all are from Ireland with Henry De Bromhead’s impressive 2021 Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle hero Bob Olinger in opposition.
When leading amateur Jamie Codd teams up with Gordon Elliott you usually need to take note and they can land another victory in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (5.30pm) with SMOKING GUN.
They won with The Package and subsequent Grand National runnerup Cause Of Causes in 2015 and 2016. While Elliott scored with Milan Native two years ago and Mount Ida triumphed for the stable while under the care of Denise Foster last year.
Smoking Gun looks to have a similar profile to some of those runners and was fifth behind stable-mate Ravenhill in the National Hunt Chase at the 2020 Festival. He won at Fairyhouse earlier in the season and was a decent third on his most recent effort last month. That should have him spot-on for this and he can score ahead of Fakir D’alene.
Nicky Henderson’s FUSIL RAFFLES is a course and distance winner and landed the three-mile Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby over Christmas. Stepping back in trip the seven-year-old can score again in the Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Plate Handicap Chase (4.10pm).
Mullins’ DINOBLUE looks the best option in the Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (4.50pm).