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Klassical Dream made light of a long absence as he ran out a hugely impressive winner of the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown.
A ready winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2019, when he also followed up at this meeting, his career hit the buffers last season.
Sent off an odds-on favourite in two Grade One outings, he was beaten in both, most recently in the Matheson Hurdle in December 2019 when last of five.
However, having his first outing for nearly 500 days, there was plenty of market confidence behind Patrick Mullins’s mount which saw him sent off at 5-1 in a strong field.
The favourite was Cheltenham winner Flooring Porter but he got very worked up down at the start, missed the break, raced keenly throughout and by the second last he was beating a retreat.
French Dynamite was left in front, but all the while Mullins crept closer on Klassical Dream, who cruised to the front on the bridle.
Stablemate James Du Berlais came out of the pack to chase him home, but was beaten nine lengths. Ronald Pump was third.
Patrick Mullins said: “I can’t say I’m surprised. He’s a very high-class horse, it just went wrong for him over two miles.
“I know he hadn’t run for a long time, but he was ready to run at Christmas and he got a small setback and then it was too late to go chasing.
“Eilish Byrne deserves great credit as she rides him out all the time and he’s not easy.
“I wasn’t surprised how well he settled, he had a hood on and we went a good gallop. The false start wasn’t ideal, but he handled it all right.”
Mullins, who moved three clear of Jamie Codd in the race to be champion amateur, added: “I’m getting to pick up rides in Grade Ones, I’m in a very lucky position and Jamie doesn’t have that kind of ammunition and firepower.
“When you are riding for Willie Mullins at Punchestown, it makes the job a lot easier.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and now the Stayers’ here. I was second in the Gold Cup on Djakadam one year, so hopefully I might get the full set at some stage.”
Mullins mentioned the French Champion Hurdle as a possible option for the winner.

Barry Walsh riding Singing Banjo on their way to winning the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase during day three of the Punchestown Festival. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire


Philip Rothwell’s Singing Banjo bagged his second win at this year’s Punchestown Festival when coming home clear in a dramatic renewal of the Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase.
Despite winning the Ladies’ Perpetual Cup on Tuesday, he was sent off at 33-1 under Barry Walsh, who steered clear of the carnage behind him.
Alpha Des Obeaux was carried out when there appeared to be a difference of opinion over which course to take, an incident which also saw Some Neck badly hampered.
Singing Banjo stayed on stoutly to beat 80-1 chance Michael’s Pick by three and a quarter lengths.
“I’d say Willie [Mullins] will be okay!” said Rothwell, celebrating his third winner of the week.
“It’s unbelievable, but as I said before it’s a family success and it’s all about the Walsh family.
“Aaron, Barry’s brother, owns him and their father John trains him for all the point-to-points, so this is just an honour for me.
“They have banks at home to school their horses and I’ve run them in the banks races for them for a number of years and we absolutely love it. We’ve been second so many times to some of Enda’s [Bolger].
“I always thought that he’d be better over four miles than three and I was questioning whether he should have run in the Ladies’ Cup the other day, so this is just marvellous.”
Anthony Honeyball had gone close to a Punchestown Festival winner a couple of times in the past with his stable stalwart Regal Encore, but went one better with Sully D’Oc (6-1) in the Pigsback.com Handicap Chase.
Ridden by rising star of the weighing room Simon Torrens, the seven-year-old was proving his durability having run with credit at both Cheltenham and Aintree.
“He’s always been a lovely horse, but this season has made a man of him as he’s also done Cheltenham and Aintree,” said Honeyball.
“Richie McLernon needs a mention as he’s done a lovely job with him. He ran well at Aintree and I thought coming here might freshen him up as he was on his way to Martinstown anyway.
“I mentioned the cheekpieces to Frank [Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus] so we put them on – whether they made a difference, I don’t know.
“We’ve hit the bar here a few times with Regal Encore and Cresswell Breeze, so I’m delighted. Watching the way that race was run, I think we could be back in Ireland with him at some stage.”
Jiving Jerry landed a gamble in the opening Specialist Joinery Group Handicap Hurdle for Cathal Landers and trainer James Barcoe.
Having been available at 20-1 overnight, he won by half a length at 11-2.
“That’s brilliant and the horse deserved it as he’s been very consistent all year. He’s an easy horse to train, he turns up,” said Barcoe.
“That’s his third win and it’s for my most important owner, my wife, and it was my niece who led him up, so it’s great.”