Hurricane Fly, who did a piece of work on the lead in to the race which was so bad that it shocked Willie Mullins, made no mistake to take a fourth successive Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

Tony Martin will decide next week whether Quick Jack will take his chance in the Boylesports.com Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 25.

Hurricane Fly, Jezki and Our Conor, the respective first three home in the Ryanair Hurdle over Christmas, are among seven entries for the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle back at Leopardstown on January 26.

Willie Mullins is convinced Hurricane Fly will improve by at least 5lb before the record-breaker bids to win the Champion Hurdle for a third time at Cheltenham in March.

Trainer Willie Mullins branded Hurricane Fly “a horse of a generation” after he claimed his 18th Grade One in a top-notch renewal of the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

Even by Ruby Walsh’s seriously high standards, this could only be described as an extraordinary ride.

Hurricane Fly won an extraordinary 18th Grade One race when superbly defending his title in a star-studded renewal of the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy paid handsome tribute to Binocular after the former Champion Hurdle winner was retired following the discovery of an underlying heart problem.

It was great to get a double from my only two rides last Saturday afternoon and while I’ve got a much busier weekend ahead, again I’m hopeful of getting off the mark early, on Gitane Du Berlais at Down Royal.

The 12-year-old Captain Cee Bee was far too good for his younger rivals in the Grade 2 Friends’ Of Tipperary Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

Captain Cee Bee will try to defy his advancing years and defend his title in tomorrow’s Grade Two Friends Of Tipperary Hurdle.

Michael Hourigan and Barry Geraghty teamed up for a double at Listowel, highlighted by the win of The Crafty Butcher in the feature M.J. Carroll Arro Handicap Hurdle.

Ruby Walsh believes Hurricane Fly is back to the sort of form he was in two years ago after he partnered Willie Mullins’ charge to a third successive BHP Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins feels Hurricane Fly is back to the level he was at two years ago as the nine-year-old prepares to go in search of his third BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle crown in succession at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Hurricane Fly can cement his position near the top of the Champion Hurdle market by landing the Grade 1 Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Hurricane Fly is likely to make his next appearance in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29 after emerging safe and sound from his comeback run at the weekend.

Kauto Star may be nicely tucked up in his box enjoying retirement, but Paul Nicholls could still have an embarrassment of riches come Boxing Day at Kempton.

I ride in all six races at Cheltenham today and have to be reasonably confident of getting among the winners.

Brendan Duke reports all to be going well with Mister Benedictine as the in-form nine-year-old builds towards next week’s Guinness Galway Hurdle.

Three-times Grade One winner Follow The Plan has been given top weight of 11st 10lb in the tote.com Galway Plate.

Galileo’s Choice proved himself on course for the William Hill Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham when scoring a smooth success in the Easter Festival 8th-10th April Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

THE return to action of Forpadydeplasterer in the poorly-supported Star Chase will prove the focus of attention at Punchestown today.

YOU know you’re back into the national hunt season when the weather makes a fool of you, the plans you’ve made have been ruined because you took the forecasters at their word and you have to make new plans very quickly.

THE big attraction at Gowran Park this afternoon (where there is a 7.30am inspection due to persistent rain yesterday) is Sizing Europe, who makes his seasonal debut in the Grade 2 PricewaterhouseCoopers Champion Chase.

IT has been a frustrating festival at Galway to date and before last night’s racing, we had five seconds, a third and four fourths.

Ante-post favourite The Real Article features among a maximum field of 20 runners in the Guinness Galway Hurdle on Thursday.

WHEN I walked out of Cork University Hospital exactly two weeks ago there was only one thing on my mind, the Galway Plate and Blazing Tempo.

An inquiry into the running and riding of The Real Article at Tipperary last Sunday will be held on Monday morning.

THE Tony McCoy-ridden Captain Cee Bee bagged the Kevin McManus Bookmakers Grimes Hurdle spoils at Tipperary yesterday, holding the tenderly-handled The Real Article by the minimum margin as both horses proved their well-being ahead of next week’s Galway Festival.

AIDAN O’BRIEN has won the three classics run in Ireland so far this season and can make it number four with Wonder Of Wonders in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh tomorrow.

PRINCETON PLAINS, who failed to win a maiden over flights or on the flat, broke his duck in style with a last-gasp success in the valuable ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle at Killarney yesterday.

A year ago I was injured, working for RTE and watching Willie Mullins and Paul Townend combine to land winner after winner at Punchestown.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe remains firmly on course for next month’s Punchestown Festival.

THE Punchestown executive must be smacking their collective lips in expectation of a massive spin-off from Cheltenham for their forthcoming festival.

The first three home in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last year - Albertas Run, Poquelin and J'y Vole - are set to lock horns in the race again on Thursday.

Dual winner Master Minded and last year’s hero Big Zeb are among a field of 11 for the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Voy Por Ustedes is a fascinating supplementary entry for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.

THE leading contenders have stood their ground for the sportinbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next Wednesday.

Captain Cee Bee is reported to be in fine shape ahead of his bid for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

BIG BUCK’S and Grands Crus remain on course for a mouthwatering clash in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle after their names appeared among 34 remaining entries following the latest forfeit stage.

TWENTY-FOUR horses, and all the big names, remain in the reckoning at the latest forfeit stage for next month’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Master Minded will face a maximum of 14 rivals when he attempts to land the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase for a third time on March 16.

Captain Cee Bee is likely to take up his entry in the Queen Mother Champion Chase rather than the Ryanair at Cheltenham in March.