After his Cheltenham Festival disappointment last month, Ballyburn is in line to get a shot at a recovery mission come Punchestown.

The Willie Mullins inmate was a red-hot favourite going into the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase in the Cotswolds but the writing was on the wall from very early on and he eventually beat just two rivals home as stablemate Lecky Watson claimed that Grade 1 prize.

Few will be willing to write off Ballyburn, least of all his all-conquering trainer, and owners Ronnie Bartlett & David Manasseh will firmly believe he can sign off with a bounce-back success on home soil.

Cheltenham disappointment a shock to the system

A year ago, Ballyburn carried the pressure of odds-on favouritism with aplomb in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle as he won convincingly on his maiden trip to Cheltenham.

He made a winning start over fences at Punchestown (2m3f, soft) in November of 2024 before going to Kempton where he was second to Sir Gino in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase on Boxing Day.

That defeat was nothing to be ashamed of, with Nicky Henderson's winner infinitely more suited over two-miles on a speedy track like Kempton.

Ballyburn stepped up in trip back on home soil at the Dublin Racing Festival, seeing off a then unbeaten chaser in Croke Park over 2m5½f with an improved and controlled round of jumping before he cleared away to win on the level.

Following that, he was odds-on for the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham but things got on top of him quite quickly. A bad mistake at the seventh fence compounded matters and Paul Townend's partner was never a meaningful threat thereafter.

Too settled for his own good?

It's worth recalling some of the mantra that emerged from Closutton going to Cheltenham.

"He is bred to get three-miles. It was fascinating that he was able to do what he did over two-miles. Everyone had him down as a three-miler, but when you look at his page he isn't," Mullins suggested.

With the step up in trip occupying minds, Ballyburn was perhaps behind asked to settle early in his race more than proved ideal for a horse that has displayed a propensity for getting on with things.

Did that contribute to a substandard round of jumping? It's impossible to say but, come Punchestown, it will be no shock if he's allowed to take his race by the scruff of the neck.

Lone target awaits at Punchestown

The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase over three-miles on day one at Punchestown is the lone target for Ballyburn at the end of term jamboree.

His Cheltenham conqueror Lecky Watson is in the mix too, alongside the likes of Stellar Story, Slade Steel, Impaire Et Passe and Gorgeous Tom.

"The game was over early for him and we might now look at going back in trip with him and try to make more use of him," Mullins said of his Cheltenham run.

"I don't think he enjoyed being put in the box seat and they weren't going fast enough for him."

The step back down in trip hasn't materialised but a tactical turnaround could help ensure we see a much different side of Ballyburn come Punchestown. His supporters won't be giving up on him just yet.