3 minute read

Henry de Bromhead’s Slade Steel will be aiming to uphold the form of his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle success at the Cheltenham Festival in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

The six-year-old is vying for favouritism at the top of the market with Mystical Power, who finished one-and-a-half lengths behind him in the Supreme. With the going soft at Cheltenham, Slade Steel had the benefit of proven stamina and powered up the hill to secure a first Grade 1 victory.

 "Slade Steel is in really good form since Cheltenham, we're very happy with him," said De Bromhead.

"The Cheltenham form stood up at Aintree and you had Ayr as well, where Favour And Fortune (sixth in the Supreme) won the Scottish Champion Hurdle. We're looking forward to Punchestown with him."

With ground good to yielding at Punchestown, the Willie Mullins-team are hopeful that their beautifully bred Mystical Power might be able to reverse the form. The first foal out of Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power, the gelding secured his Grade 1 victory at Aintree when beating Firefox in the Top Novices' Hurdle.

"Willie is very happy with him, it's a competitive race but we're hoping for a good run," said Frank Berry, racing manager for owner JP McManus.

"Henry's horse beat him well in Cheltenham, but our horse goes there in good form, so we'll have a crack at it and hope he runs well."

It may not be all about the top two in the betting, with Tullyhill and Firefox also attempting to secure a last victory of the season. The Willie Mullins-trained Tullyhill burst onto the scene with an easy Listed success in late February, before finishing eighth in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and appears to be a progressive type. Firefox has to be considered again after finishing third in the Supreme and second behind Mystical Power at Aintree, although trainer Gordon Elliott will need to have found some improvement for the gelding to reverse the form.