Irish Champion Hurdle Result: Hurricane blows away rivals

The Cheltenham Festival / Timeform / 29 January 2012 /

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Hurricane Fly was the superb winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle

"Hurricane Fly showed no signs of lack of race fitness as he displayed his superiority in no uncertain manner..."

Hurricane Fly made a brilliant seasonal reappearance to land back-to-back victories in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown...

Willie Mullins' imperious performer cruised by his pacemaking stable companion Thousand Stars before the final flight under a confident ride from Ruby Walsh and he went on to win as he liked.

The ([1.96]) favourite romped home by six and a half lengths from Oscars Well ([14.0]), who managed to grab second place, with Thousand Stars third.

Thousand Stars made ([6.2]) sure there was a proper gallop despite the appalling conditions as he took the five runners along.

Oscars Well lay second with Hurricane Fly third, tracked by his main market rival Unaccompanied ([4.4]) with rank outsider Kalann at the rear.

There was no change in the order until Walsh asked Hurricane Fly to close before the turn for home and he did so with the minimum of fuss.

Although absent since winning the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown in May, Hurricane Fly showed no signs of lack of race fitness as he displayed his superiority in no uncertain manner.

Hurricane Fly immediately shortened into ([2.02]) on Betfair to repeat last season's success in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and, if arriving in similar form, he will be very difficult to beat.

Flemenstar ran out a convincing winner of the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase earlier on the Leopardstown Card.

Leading before three out in the hands of Andrew Lynch, Peter Casey's seven-year-old quickly pulled clear of his rivals in the testing conditions.

The ([2.74]) favourite went on to score by 19 lengths from Gift Of Dgab, with the well backed British raider Notus De La Tour ([3.5]) plugging on for third for David Pipe.

Blackstairmountain difted markedly before the start of the race and was sent off at ([4.2]) but he proved a big disappointment and was never able to put in a challenge.

It was a first Grade One success for the winning trainer, who said: "He's not going to Cheltenham. I don't know where we'll go, maybe something like the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse.

"He likes that soft ground. It's great the owner hung on to him or I wouldn't have had him.

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