KLASSICAL Dream is expected to begin his Champion Hurdle campaign at Punchestown next Saturday.

The Willie Mullins-trained Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner is being aimed at the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle, a race won by both Hurricane Fly and Faugheen on the way to Cheltenham glory.

Normally run on the Sunday of Punchestown’s two-day November Festival, the Morgiana has been switched to the Saturday card to avoid a clash with Sunday’s Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham, also sponsored by Unibet.

Klassical Dream is one of eight Mullins-trained entries for the Grade 1 Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 1st.

That race is sure to be the target for Apple’s Jade, who will be aiming for a fourth successive success in the two-and-a-half-mile contest. The Gordon Elliott-trained mare makes her seasonal debut at Navan on Sunday.

Elliott became the first trainer to capture all three Grade 1s on the Fairyhouse Winter Festival Sunday card in 2017. He has seven of the 40 entries for the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle this year, including last weekend’s impressive Down Royal winner Envoi Allen.

Elliott said: “Envoi Allen was very good when he won over hurdles at the weekend at Down Royal. He has come out of that race well and we are looking at the Royal Bond for him.”

He continued: “I was delighted with Samcro when he won over fences at Down Royal at the weekend and Keith Donoghue was very impressed with him.

“The Drinmore Novice Chase looks the obvious race to go for with him now, and of course, the likes of Battleoverdoyen and Champagne Classic are very much in the mix as well. That day at Fairyhouse is one we always look forward to.”