Hurricane Fly
demonstrated there is still plenty of life in the old horse yet when
beating Jezki in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on Monday.
The big question
now is whether the Willie Mullins-trained horse can create history by
regaining the Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham for a second time.
The son of
Montjeu won the Champion Hurdle for the first time back in 2011 and,
after finishing third to Rock On Ruby 12 months later, he turned the
tables to win the race for a second time in 2013.
Last season saw
Hurricane Fly finish fourth to Jezki before being beaten by the same
horse at the Punchestown Festival.
The back-to-back
defeats led to concerns that Hurricane Fly’s best days were behind
him, but he has returned this season in fine form.
He beat Jezki at
Punchestown first time up before extending his unbeaten record at
Leopardstown to nine races with his battling success over the same
rival on Monday.
It was a
record-breaking 21st Grade One triumph for Hurricane Fly, who
will be 11 when he heads to Cheltenham Festival 2015 in March
where his Christmas
Hurdle-winning stablemate Faugheen
will be in opposition.
Only two horses
have previously won the Champion Hurdle at that age – Hatton’s
Grace in 1951 and Sea Pigeon 30 years later.
His odds for the
race were not significantly affected by his win in the Ryanair Hurdle
and he remains the fourth
favourite for the Champion Hurdle at around 12/1.
But Mullins
certainly appears confident that Hurricane Fly retains the same zest
which has brought 23 wins from 28 hurdle starts.
"It’s
getting to the point with him now where I just let him do the
talking," said Mullins the
day after the Ryanair Hurdle win. "He’s just a fantastic
horse with fantastic ability.
"He’s
just a horse with huge ability but also with a tremendous amount of
guts."
Hurricane Fly
displayed his ability and guts to prevail against Jezki at
Leopardstown, but there are two bigger dangers looming come the
spring at Cheltenham – Faugheen and The New One.
Mullins,
though, still rates Hurricane Fly as his No.1, saying: "To
me, he's our top Champion Hurdle horse - he has the ratings. Faugheen
looks the one coming up, but Hurricane Fly's doing it.
"I think
he's the best anyone has ever trained over jumps. I'll never have
another horse like him. He's unique."
Faugheen has
been extremely impressive so far this season and jockey Ruby Walsh
will have an envious decision to make over who to ride at Cheltenham.
It is possible
that could affect Hurricane Fly’s chances of success given Walsh’s
strong affiliation with the horse.
The last time
someone other than Walsh was aboard Hurricane
Fly was back in January 2011 when Paul Townend was in the saddle
to win the Irish Champion Hurdle.
Meanwhile, The
New One is the best home hope to win the Champion Hurdle after
finishing an unlucky third last season after being hampered early on
in the race.
He flew past
Hurricane Fly up the hill in 2014 and certainly looks primed to play
a major role in this season’s renewal.
Mullins
felt Hurricane Fly got tired that day and it has to be a concern
that the same thing will happen again now that he is a year older.
Yet the spirit
and ability remain intact and, if he is there at the last flight,
then it would take some horse to outbattle him.
It would also be
a wonderful story if Hurricane Fly can make history at Cheltenham
Festival 2015.