Teahuppo with Sire De Berlais (right)© Photo Healy Racing
Sire Du Berlais will go in search of a unique hat-trick at Punchestown when he lines up in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday.
Gordon Elliott ’s stable stalwart has already rolled back the years to strike in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and then defend his Liverpool Hurdle crown. He will now bid for a third Grade One in the space of six weeks when he strides out at the Kildare track.
To do so he will have to go three places better than last year’s fourth, but the 11-year-old appears to be at the peak of his powers despite his advancing years and his trainer states he has bounced out of his trip to Aintree in rude health.
“Sire Du Berlais is a marvellous horse,” said the Cullentra House handler. “For him to be doing what he’s doing at the age of 11 is incredible. He’s an unbelievable campaigner. He came out of Aintree in good shape.”
Elliott is also represented by Teahupoo who was third behind his stablemate at Prestbury Park and has enjoyed a fine campaign, winning both the Hatton’s Grace and Galmoy Hurdle.
“Teahupoo is coming here off Cheltenham where he ran really well,” he added.
“He’s established himself now, I think, as one of the best stayers around and you’d like to think, all things being equal, he’d be lining up with a leading chance.”
Willie Mullins fires four darts at a race he has won five times in the last 10 years.
The master of Closutton has saddled Klassical Dream to win this the past two years and has identified the defending champion as his best chance of enhancing his fine race record.
“Klassical Dream is the one that can go back to Punchestown and win it,” said Mullins.
“We didn’t know whether we were going to make it or not to Cheltenham, but we thought his work was good enough. We took our chance. I think you’ll see the real Klassical Dream in Punchestown.”
Mullins is also represented by Asterion Forlonge and two-time Cheltenham Festival hero Monkfish — who fought out the finish of the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier this month — with Whatdeawant completing the quartet.
“It’s great to see Asterion Forlonge and Monkfish coming back,” continued Mullins.
“Those horses had long breaks and have little turnaround from Fairyhouse to Punchestown and that’s a big negative for me. If they ran a good race, I’d be very happy. Whatdeawant is probably just not good enough.”
Last year’s runner-up Ashdale Bob will attempt to go one better for Keith Donoghue and Jessica Harrington, with Oliver McKiernan’s Meet And Great and Henry de Bromhead’s Thurles scorer Summerville Boy completing the field.
