WILLIE MULLINS’ DOMINANCE in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle continued as Klassical Dream became only the third horse to win the Punchestown contest three or more times.

The winner in both 2021 and 2022, Klassical Dream had a point to prove having flopped at Cheltenham when only ninth in the Stayers’ Hurdle last month.

However, he silenced the doubters under a cool ride from Paul Townend to strike at the Punchestown Festival for the fourth time overall and give the master of Closutton his 10th victory in the three-mile Grade One.

There was little change in the order for the most part as Summerville Boy led the field along with Klassical Dream and Townend content to bide their time towards rear.

Things began to hot up when Sire Du Berlais took closer order after four out and sensing an opportunity to seal a unique Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown treble, Mark Walsh sent Gordon Elliott’s evergreen 11-year-old for home after two out, rounding the final bend.

Klassical Dream just LOVES @punchestownrace! 😍

✅ 2021
✅ 2022
✅ 2023@WillieMullinsNH's star stayer wins his THIRD Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle plus records his fourth Punchestown Festival victory 👏👏

What a performance! @PTownend pic.twitter.com/c0Ut5Mnvmk

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 27, 2023

It momentarily looked like Walsh’s enterprise could pay off, but Klassical Dream was moving stealthily onto his tail under a motionless Paul Townend.

There was three in a line jumping the final flight as Klassical Dream, Asterion Forlonge and Sire Du Berlais all left the ground in unison, but on landing it was the Closutton hat-trick seeker who edged his way to the front and he stuck on gamely to hold off his rallying rivals and come home half a length to the good from Asterion Forlonge with Sire Du Berlais a neck away.

“Paul was so cool on him. He was out the back and the minute he got a bit of daylight he locked on and I thought ‘wow this is it’. It was a masterclass in riding again,” said Mullins.

“I’m a bit worried now as going celebrating with Jo (Coleman, owner) is no simple task! We have good nights.

“I think we’ll bring him to Auteuil again. We had a good time there last year (finished second) and a weekend in Paris is never a bad thing.

“Asterion Forlonge ran a cracker and stayed on great at the end. I think hurdling is just too fast for Monkfish, he wants slower ground and bigger fences to maximise jumping.”

“It’s easy riding for Willie in Punchestown,” Townend added. “We’ve had a brilliant season and it’s nice to be a part of this massive team – a small part of it – to round of the season here in Punchestown.”

Later, El Fabiolo maintained his unbeaten record over fences with a bloodless victory in the Barberstown Castle Novice Chase.

The winner of the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown in February before downing Jonbon and justifying favouritism in the Cheltenham Festival equivalent, Mullins’ six-year-old was sent off the 1-4 favourite to complete his novice chasing campaign in style.

⭐️ EL FABIOLO SHINES AGAIN ⭐️

🏆 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase
🏆 Arkle
🏆 Irish Arkle

The six-year-old cruises clear of his rivals at the @punchestownrace Festival to record his third Grade One victory of the season 😍@WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/UQ6lShueDX

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 27, 2023

Prone to hitting the odd fence, El Fabiolo got his jumping errors out the way early on this occasion before producing a professional round of fencing and he travelled smoothly in second in the hands of Townend as Dysart Dynamo cut his usual bold sight from the front under Danny Mullins.

In a matter of strides El Fabiolo breezed alongside his stablemate approaching the second last and the result was soon a simple formality as having picked off Dysart Dynamo with ease, Townend kicked clear on the run to the last before coasting home for a facile 11-length success.

Mullins has now won this Grade One contest eight years in-a-row, while this was his 10th victory overall in the two mile event.

Meanwhile the performance from El Fabiolo was enough for the gelding to be made Betfair’s 6-4 favourite for next year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

“I was wondering about four out had Danny stole a march but Paul said the minute he pulled his lad out and said go he just lit up underneath him,” said Mullins.

“He was a bit ring rusty over the first few fences. He looks all over a two-miler. He can go up in trip and I’d have no problem going two and a half as he’s nice and relaxed.

“He’s improving all the time but the way he does things over two miles he may stay at that. Paul is all the time pulling him back to keep the lid on him.”