Matheson Hurdle
Grade 1, Leopardstown 14:30
€100,000 added,
4yo plus,
2m, Class 1  
Sunday 29th December 2019

1 Sharjah 9/2
2 Petit Mouchoir 7/1
3 Coeur Sublime 100/30
5 ran NR: Apple's Jade, Darasso
Distances: 3¾l, 8½l, 18l Time: 3m 48.60s (slow by 3.60s)

The victory means Willie Mullins has now won the Grade One seven times in the last 10 years – but the champion trainer will have been left scratching his head after his apparent first string Klassical Dream finished last of the five runners.

Last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero was bounding along merrily at the head of affairs with Petit Mouchoir, winner of the race in 2016, when he made a jolting error at halfway – almost coming down.

Paul Townend allowed him time to regain composure before trying to get involved in the race once more – but soon after turning into the straight, it was obvious his race was run and he was eased heavily.

Petit Mouchoir kept up the gallop, but Patrick Mullins loomed up cruising on his outside – and as soon as the button was pressed, the race was over.

“He was good. Klassical Dream and Petit Mouchoir went at it, and I think Klassical Dream probably just couldn’t go the pace,” said the winning trainer.

“When he took off at that hurdle down the back I just took down my binoculars, because I thought he wouldn’t even make the hurdle.

“I don’t know how he got over it. He seems fine – but I’d imagine he’s going to be very stiff in the morning with his hips or pelvis, or whatever. He dragged his hind legs through.

“Paul got him back into the race, but that effort had taken too much out of him.”

While it was a tale of woe for Klassical Dream, everything went smoothly for Sharjah.

Mullins added: “I could see Patrick really content on Sharjah, the way he was sitting all the time, but then when Klassical Dream came up his outside I thought he was going to bring him into the race too quickly.

“But what could he do, Patrick had to go with him. I’m sure he didn’t want to challenge until much later and use his speed – but he ended up having to go with Petit Mouchoir down to the last, but then he got away from him.

“Ruby (Walsh) was reminding me there that if he hadn’t been brought down last year he might have been second or third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. He’s a good horse on nice ground.

“It’s all to play for, and he’s improving away. He could come back here in February – we’ll have a chat with Rich and Susannah (Ricci, owners) and see what they want to do.

“Patrick gets on with the horse and knows him really well, so he might have an opinion about it too. We have a lot of opinions around our horses now, with David Casey and Ruby Walsh and everyone!

“It’s good to get everyone’s opinion about where we should go. We could put him away as well – but there is a nice prize here at the Dublin Racing Festival, and we’ll see how he comes out of this.”

He added: “There was hardly a blow out of him there. Klassical Dream is blowing hard and he’s going to improve – he’ll have to improve on that, but I think the improvement is still there.

“Just at this stage of his career against these horses, he’s going to want much softer ground. The ground was too good.”

Free Racing Tips

Matheson Hurdle
2m, Race Value: €100,000
5 ran
Going: Yielding

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1      Sharjah 6 11-10 W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins 9/2
2 3¾ Petit Mouchoir 8 11-10 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 7/1
3 8½ Coeur Sublime 4 11-7 Gordon Elliott Davy Russell 100/30
4 18 Aramon 6 11-10 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 12/1
5 16 Klassical Dream 5 11-10 W P Mullins Paul Townend 10/11F
NR Apple's Jade 7 11-3 Gordon Elliott NON RUNNER
NR / Darasso 6 11-10 Joseph O'Brien NON RUNNER

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