Sir Gerhard makes perfect start to hurdling career at Leopardstown | Racing News

Champion Bumper winner Sir Gerhard made a seamless transition to hurdling with a straightforward victory in the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Victorious at the Cheltenham Festival on his first start for Willie Mullins having been with Gordon Elliott, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding met with the first defeat of his career at the Punchestown Festival.

Not seen since, he was sent off a 2-9 favourite to get his new career off to a winning start and Paul Townend kept things simple, heading straight to an early lead.

He jumped well in the main, and while he got in a little tight to the final flight it did not slow him down and he quickened under minimum pressure to win by eight lengths from Highland Charge.

Betfair were impressed and cut the winner to 9-2 from 8-1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, meaning the Nicky Henderson duo of Jonbon and Constitution Hill now have a challenge at the top of the market.

“He’s a very good jumper so I’m very happy to see him come out and do that,” said Mullins.

“I’d like to climb the ladder if I could, but he might just have to go into a graded race next – maybe at the Dublin Racing Festival, something like that. But I think he’s up to it.”