Paul Townend believes testing conditions will play to antepost favourite Klassical Dream's strengths when he lines up in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday.
Having claimed both the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Champion Novice over course and distance in the spring, the five-year-old will now be pitched in against established campaigners.
Townend has taken the last two renewals of the Morgiana with Sharjah and Faugheen, but his hat-trick bid will come on a horse that he has ridden just once in public.
"When I rode him at Leopardstown at Christmas time the ground was on the quick side and we thought he would handle a dig in it," Townend, number one rider at Willie Mullins' Closutton following the retirement of Ruby Walsh, told Game On listeners on RTÉ 2fm.
"He did at Cheltenham and I don’t think it will inconvenience him as much as some of the others on Saturday."
Just four potential rivals have been confirmed for the race, including two stablemates Saldier and Sharjah, while Petit Mouchoir and Yaha Fizz complete the possibles in a contest that could cut up.
Full replay and reaction: Willie Mullins sets sights on Champion Hurdle as Klassical Dream completes Leopardstown/Cheltenham/Punchestown treble in commanding style. ⬇https://t.co/N5X3nFEPrj pic.twitter.com/7FcvXY8FL4
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 30, 2019
With the National Hunt season cranking up a gear, Townend also had news on other leading lights in the yard, including the long-absent Douvan, who tipped up four out in the Queen Mother Champion at the Festival in 2018 before filling the runner-up berth in Punchestown’s premier two-miler.
"When he fell with Patrick (Mullins) at Cheltenham, he was fairly rocking along that day," Townend contended.
"I’ve been lucky enough to ride him a couple of days and he has been an exceptional horse."
The lightly-raced Cilaos Emery caught the eye in his comeback win at Naas last weekend to add to the yard’s embarrassment of riches in the two-mile chase division and Townend is hopeful that he will continue to progress over the course of the season.
"He’ll need all the experience he’s getting as he only had the one run over fences last year, but he was a high-class hurdler and I think he can build on every run over fences," Townend opined.
"I got a great feel off him and he seems to be going the right way and hopefully he can keep improving on it."
Townend teamed up with Mullins to take the penultimate running of the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury and the 29-year-old will be hoping that emphatic Munster National winner Canbaret Queen can follow in the hoofprints of Total Recall.
A 13-length winner at Limerick, the mare’s performance didn’t escape the attentions of the handicapper, but her rider believes she can defy a rise in the weights.
"It’ll be a big step up in class for her, but she couldn’t have been more impressive at Limerick," he enthused.
"She jumped from fence to fence and she’s got lots of experience.
"She got a good whack from the handicapper and she’s that to overcome, but I think it is a race that will suit her."
Perhaps saving the best for last, Townend touched on the Mullins horse that created a huge impression in just two outings last season.
French import Chacun Por Soi went from a humble beginners’ chase at Naas in March to scoring at the top level less than two months later when triumphing in the Ryanair Novice Chase.
"I haven’t been let near him," the rider quipped.
"I've only been let near him once and that was the day in Naas, which was his first run for us.
"He blew me away that day and hopefully we can keep the wheels on him.
"He was worth waiting for and he’s a potential star."
