Kopek Des Bordes won the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham. He is unbeaten in all his starts. Willie Mullins confirmed his entry for the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on Tuesday April 28, where he will bid to preserve that record against some of the season's leading novice hurdlers.
The Supreme Win
The Supreme Novices Hurdle is the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival — the race that announces the leading novice hurdler of the season. In winning it, Kopek Des Bordes beat a competitive field at the most pressurised meeting in the jump racing calendar. The fact that he arrives at Punchestown unbeaten means every start of his career has produced a win. That record is rare and it carries specific weight when assessing a horse's ceiling.
Racing Post's Punchestown Day 1 declaration report specifically names Kopek Des Bordes as one of Mullins's key representatives: "Mullins stars including Kopek Des Bordes feature on undercard — will bid to preserve his unbeaten record in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle."
Salvator Mundi in the Same Grade 1 Card
Salvator Mundi — who won a Grade 1 at Aintree last Saturday — is also declared for Punchestown. He and Kopek Des Bordes are both Mullins horses, both Grade 1 winners this spring, both appearing on the Tuesday opening day card. The Closutton operation arrives at Punchestown with their hand fully loaded. Irancy and Karbau round out Mullins's representation across the Tuesday novice hurdle.
The Punchestown Context
Novice hurdlers who win at Cheltenham and then return at Punchestown face a specific test. The Cheltenham form is established — any horse in this field who ran at the Festival carries a defined level of performance. Punchestown asks whether the Cheltenham winner is still at the same level five weeks later, or whether the fresher horses — those who skipped the Festival — have closed the gap.
Kopek Des Bordes's unbeaten record gives him no exposed weakness. He has not had a bad day. He has not been beaten at any trip or on any ground. The unanswerable uncertainty around any unbeaten horse is whether the winning form reflects an exceptional horse or an exceptionally weak opposition. Punchestown will begin to answer that.
Trotbot's Champion Novice Hurdle analysis goes live Monday April 27. Sign up free at horseracingoracleai.com
Betting involves risk. Please gamble responsibly. Visit BeGambleAware.org.
Facts verified via web search April 23 2026. Source: Racing Post Punchestown Day 1 declarations April 23 2026.