Emotionless logic leads O’Brien to correct conclusion

THE senior National Hunt handicapper, Noel O’Brien, had every reason to allow himself a little smile after the Grade 1 Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

Most of us punters, pundits and bookmakers alike, bought into the hype surrounding Hurricane Fly, simply failing to see what was staring us right in the face.

The handicapper could not have got it more right. His ratings told us that Solwhit was 8lbs a better horse than Hurricane Fly, while he had Muirhead 1lb ahead of him.