Mullins bids for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

The Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser and one of the most anticipated races of the season, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, is now close to being within touching distance.

In a departure from recent years, the opening contest is missing a would-be ‘good thing’ to launch punters into an early dilemma.

The likes of Champagne Fever, Vautour and Douvan were hot favourites that won for the Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins axis in recent years, though the same firm have seen Melon and Getabird defeated in the previous two renewals.

With Gordon Elliott downing Mullins as leading trainer last year, is Ireland’s champion handler coming into Cheltenham 2019 under the radar?

Klassical Dream is 12/1 with Betfred and could lead the charge for Mullins. He defeated stablemate Aramon at Leopardstown to win the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle, a Grade 1 that traditionally proves a strong guide to the Irish challenge in this race.

If Ruby Walsh is declared on him, the price is likely to contract before the off and the way in which he grabbed his stablemate late on in that recent run bodes well for him coming up the Cheltenham hill.

The Irish have won 15 of the last 27 runnings of this contest and Elliott could send Felix Desjy into battle. He’s a 20/1 chance and continues to improve with his hurdling experience. He also ran well in the Champion Bumper last March and should relish a return to the Cotswolds.

The market leader is the Nicky Henderson-trained Al Dancer at 11/4 after his demolition job in the Betfair Hurdle. No horse has ever won that contest and gone on to Supreme success, though Kalashnikov was only denied by the slenderest margin 12 months ago.

Another Seven Barrows inmate, Angels Breath, had been popular in the ante-post betting but his defeat in the Dovecote at Kempton behind Southfield Stone leaves a question over his challenge.

Klassical Dream is perhaps the value call at this stage. His trainer has a stellar record in the race and Mullins is on record suggesting that he will get much further than two-miles in time. Having that stamina in his locker will be key come Cheltenham and if he lines up in the race then his current odds will look generous.

Odds subject to change.