Two racing certainties serve up mixed fortunes

THE surest bet at any Irish racing festival is that sooner or later it will rain.

The next, nearest thing to a certainty is that the best hurdler of his era, Hurricane Fly, will leave the rest of the field trailing in his wake.

Both the legendary Irish weather and horse confirmed their hard-earned reputation on day four of Punchestown yesterday in a combination that offered mixed fortunes for racegoers.