Supreme Dream 'is a fair machine' as Mullins eyes Champion Hurdle

Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Klassical Dream completed his lap of honour at Punchestown today as the Willie Mullins trained star novice comfortably won the Grade 1 Herald Champion Novice Hurdle under jockey Ruby Walsh.

The son of Dream Well won the opening race of last month's Cheltenham festival and today landed the opening Grade 1 race of the Punchestown equivalent when quickening clear of early front-runner Felix Desjy early in the home straight before scoring a five and a half lengths win.

Bookmakers later reacted to the taking performance by cutting his odds for next year's Cheltenham Champion Hurdle, with Ladbrokes trimming him to 7/1 while Paddy Power are now shorter at 5/1 (from 8/1).

Mullins later commented “Ruby said he was too settled and was not as pleased as he was in Cheltenham but I thought in Cheltenham he just ran very free. You can’t keep racing like that and I was much happier with today’s performance, albeit the second horse has been to Cheltenham and Aintree and had two very hard races.

“He’s a fair machine but we were the beneficiary of him (Felix Desjy) having those hard races today.

“I’m happy to stay over hurdles and try and make a Champion Hurdle horse out of him. I think he could be good enough so we’ll see.”

Quotes from Alan Magee