Matheson Hurdle report: Sharjah repeats Leopardstown win for Willie and Patrick Mullins
Sharjah repeated last year's victory in the Grade One Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown, getting the better of Petit Mouchoir.
It hasn't been the perfect Christmas festival at Leopardstown for trainer Willie Mullins, with several key horses suffering high-profile defeats including Chacun Pour Soi and Blue Sari, and in many ways there was another major bubble burst as favourite Klassical Dream trailed home in the hands of Paul Townend.
But the master of Closutton received ample compensation as one of his two other runners in the top-class contest - 9/2 chance Sharjah - sprinted home to score by three and a quarter lengths in the hands of the trainer's son and assistant, Patrick.
The winner was doubling up in the festive feature having beaten Supasundae in the same race 12 months ago, after which he was brought down when returning from a layoff in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in the spring.
This season had started with a low-key run in the Morgiana Hurdle but, much like Klassical Dream who was third as the odds-on favourite at Punchestown last month, better was expected on this occasion.
Whereas Klassical Dream (10/11 fav) fluffed his lines with a bad blunder all but killing off his winning chance around the halfway mark, Sharjah jumped fluently throughout and, after stalking long-time leader Petit Mouchoir into the straight, he pounced on the short run to the line to win going away.
Devastating Down Royal winner Coeur Sublime wasn't entirely disgraced up in class but ended up a little over eight lengths off the runner-up in third.
Sky Bet reacted by cutting the winner to 8/1 (from 20/1) for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
"He was good. Klassical Dream and Petit Mouchoir went at it, and I think Klassical Dream probably just couldn't go the pace," said the winning trainer.
"When he took off at that hurdle down the back I just took down my binoculars, because I thought he wouldn't even make the hurdle.
"I don't know how he got over it. He seems fine - but I'd imagine he's going to be very stiff in the morning with his hips or pelvis, or whatever. He dragged his hind legs through. Paul got him back into the race, but that effort had taken too much out of him."
While it was a tale of woe for Klassical Dream, everything went smoothly for Sharjah.
Mullins added: "I could see Patrick really content on Sharjah, the way he was sitting all the time, but then when Klassical Dream came up his outside I thought he was going to bring him into the race too quickly.
"But what could he do, Patrick had to go with him. I'm sure he didn't want to challenge until much later and use his speed - but he ended up having to go with Petit Mouchoir down to the last, but then he got away from him.
"Ruby (Walsh) was reminding me there that if he hadn't been brought down last year he might have been second or third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. He's a good horse on nice ground.
"It's all to play for, and he's improving away. He could come back here in February - we'll have a chat with Rich and Susannah (Ricci, owners) and see what they want to do.
"Patrick gets on with the horse and knows him really well, so he might have an opinion about it too. We have a lot of opinions around our horses now, with David Casey and Ruby Walsh and everyone!
"It's good to get everyone's opinion about where we should go. We could put him away as well - but there is a nice prize here at the Dublin Racing Festival, and we'll see how he comes out of this."
🏆🏆 Sharjah goes back to back in the G1 Matheson Hurdle!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 29, 2019
🙌 Patrick Mullins pounces late on to beat Petit Mouchoir easily, with Klassical Dream very disappointing after a bad error at halfway.pic.twitter.com/DyPbjGAbeC
He added: "There was hardly a blow out of him there. Klassical Dream is blowing hard and he's going to improve - he'll have to improve on that, but I think the improvement is still there.
"Just at this stage of his career against these horses, he's going to want much softer ground. The ground was too good.
"It was a good run too from Aramon for the new syndicate, and he's probably going to aim a bit lower on better ground, and we might look at a Flat campaign for him as well."
Reflecting on a mixed few days, Mullins said: "We had a nice Christmas, probably not vintage but any time you win a few Grade Ones and get other winners it has to be good.
"I always say a winner a day is good - and if we get more, all well and good. We've had ups and down but are happy enough.
"We had a few disappointments. Even Franco De Port down in Limerick today, I think he is a real good horse, but I hope we'll get another day to show him off."
Patrick Mullins said: "I was able to arrive just as I wanted to at the last. Down to the last I thought he was going to win on the bridle, but then I realised I didn't want to miss this (hurdle) and he needed pushing. He did it well in the end.
"Maybe he does want this good ground and I would love another crack at it (Champion Hurdle)."
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