Punchestown Festival News: Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo show Mullins' novice power

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.

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.

"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.

That's not to say that the assistant trainer to his father is writing off Dysart Dynamo, with the track being in his favour.

"He has won there twice. He gave me a horrendous time last year - it was like wrestling a bear around!

Meanwhile, Gordon Elliott's Mighty Potter could throw Mullins a challenge, having won a Grade 1 before pulling up in the Supreme at Cheltenham.

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.

"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."