KLASSICAL Dream provided Willie Mullins with a record sixth victory in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the first race of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.

The five-year-old son of Dream Well (6/1) took the lead in the middle stages of the race and jumped with aplomb in the home straight to scamper clear of his rivals and score by four and a half-lengths from Olly Murphy's stable companions Thomas Darby (25/1) and Itchy Feet (25/1), who was a further half-length behind in third.

Walsh, registering his 59th Cheltenham winner, was impressed with the performance of the gelding who emulate future stars such as Douvan and Vautour, both trained by Mullins, in winning the two-mile Grade 1 event.

Klassical Dream was responsible for the false start before the contest. Walsh said: "Klassical Dream barged into the tape which wasn't ideal, but second time around, I got a good start and he jumped brilliant."

It is 24 years since the winning-most trainer in Festival history first landed the traditional curtain-raiser with Tourist Attraction (1995), since when he has struck gold with Ebaziyan (2007), Champagne Fever (2013), Vautour (2014) and Douvan (2015).

Mullins fired a twin assault this year, with Klassical Dream renewing rivalry with stablemate Aramon after the pair fought out the finish of a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last month.

Mullins said: "It's terrific. He's a good horse. We took a risk running him on goodish firm ground at home, but we thought he had a fair engine all along. We debated whether we'd need to go for the other race [the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs] but when we saw the rain forecast, we decided to come for this [over two miles]."

"It's a very poignant victory for us. John Coleman had a lot of cheaper horses with me and then he retired and sold his business two years ago and said, 'here's a few quid - go and buy me a Cheltenham horse', and this is the horse.

"Jo [his wife] and his family are here today and it is fantastic; a very emotional victory. John and myself had many a good night and Jo and family will be invited over for a few tears and beers to celebrate this winner. I'm delighted it happened for the family," he added.

Jo Coleman was understandably emotional having fulfilled her late husbands dream of having a Cheltenham winner. She even carried his ashes in her handbag.

Speaking after the victory, she said: "It seems such a shock to be here to see John's horse run, let alone win. He bought Klassical Dream two years ago and dreamed he might be a good horse, and he's proved it. He never got to see the horse run at all."

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