Punchestown Festival News: Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo show Mullins' novice power
- Tom Reed
- 26 April 2022
Willie Mullins sends a formidable pairing in the form of Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo to the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday, April 26.
Willie Mullins' embrassment of riches is shown with the frightingly talented Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo being sent to the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday, April 26.
Closutton handler Mullins is going for his fifth straight win in the Grade 1 race with the likes of Hurricane Fly (2009), Faugheen (2014) and Douvan (2015) among monsters of the game who have taken the event for him in the past.
Sir Gerhard will likely go off as favourite after winning the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham but stablemate Dysart Dynamo is likely to give him a run for his money.
A somewhat unlucky faller in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, six-year-old Dysart Dyanamo was a big winner of the bumper at this meeting last year and clearly has plenty of potential.
Yet, it will be one hell of a battle with Sir Gerhard, who looks all class and Patrick Mullins is bouyant on the chances of the Cheveley Park runner.
"Sir Gerhard came out of Cheltenham very, very good. He jumped much better there and we don't know what got into him at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival - maybe he was just feeling something on the day.
"I thought his performance at Cheltenham could be marked up hugely on account of how keen he was early on. I think he is very versatile and will be very difficult to beat."
That's not to say that the assistant trainer to his father is writing off Dysart Dynamo, with the track being in his favour.
"For me Punchestown really plays to Dysart Dynamo's strengths," Mullins added.
"He has won there twice. He gave me a horrendous time last year - it was like wrestling a bear around!
"I think hurdles help him concentrate a little bit and it should definitely do after Cheltenham, but I think Punchestown is a track that suits his strong running style."
Meanwhile, Gordon Elliott's Mighty Potter could throw Mullins a challenge, having won a Grade 1 before pulling up in the Supreme at Cheltenham.
Mighty Potter's connections will be keeping an eye on the skies before commiting to his run.
Joey Logan, racing manager for owners Caldwell Construction Ltd, said: "We're going to walk the track to make sure we're happy, but he's in good form.
"Nothing went right for him in Cheltenham. When he was going down he got loose and when he was jumping the sixth or seventh last hurdle, he overstretched himself and was sore after for a week or 10 days.
"He's a chaser in the making, so to win a Grade One hurdle with him was a bonus. He's 17 hands and there's a lot to look forward to next year after a summer's grass."
