Hurricane can blow Champion opposition away
None of the eleven possibilities, to my way of thinking, is a natural front-runner, so maybe it will be Voler La Vedette who will have to go on.
I’m not saying she will want to, but the mare does have a tendency to be quite free and it might be best to let her roll.
If it does develop into a speed test then that is going to very much suit Hurricane Fly, who has a long absence to overcome.
He hasn’t been since finishing third to Solwhit here back in November. Hurricane Fly won’t lack for fitness, but could be short of match-practice.
He has been moving nicely for a while, but Cheltenham was always going to come too soon and Willie Mullins then targeted this race.
Hurricane Fly has shown in the past that a long break is no hindrance to him and he operates more than well when fresh.
He’s a good horse, who is capable of jumping and travelling great. I’d love to be riding, but he does get on with Paul Townend.
Solwhit is the one to beat, having been too strong for Hurricane Fly in the Morgiana in November. But he wasn’t at his best at Cheltenham and, I supposes, comes here under a bit of a cloud.
I said the other day, I couldn’t understand why Sizing Europe was taking on the big guns, when there was a novice race there for the taking, and feel exactly the same way regarding Dunguib.
You should never look a gift-horse in the mouth. You would have to say Dunguib was disappointing at Cheltenham and it is not going to be easy for Brian O’Connell now.
If I’m right, and there is no great pace, then he will be hard to settle. And he is also going to have jump smartly against these seasoned campaigners.
Punjabi ran badly in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, but is two from three on this track and was only just beaten in the race a year ago by Solwhit.
As a former champion hurdler, he has to be respected and I think Barry Geraghty fancies him. Hurricane Fly will still do for me.
There are other races where Willie has a particularly strong hand and it’ll be no surprise should he enjoy yet another cracking day.
He runs Fionnegas against the form horse, Reve de Sivola, in the Grade 1 novice hurdle over two and a half miles.
Strictly on his running behind Peddlers Cross at Cheltenham, Reve de Sivola should be a cut above this opposition.
But he has been on the go a long time and, though has had only four races, has got into some tough battles.
I just feel Fionnegas has a solid chance against him, on the basis he just might be the fresher, which is so important at this time of the season.
Fionnegas would probably have finished third behind Berties Dream at Cheltenham, but for David Casey and himself going their separate ways at the final flight.
Prior to that, I rode him to finish second to Dunguib at Leopardstown and think the ground will not be a problem.
Willie’s Arvika Ligeonniere is a fair horse, one I like, and will be hard to beat in the two mile novice hurdle.
I know he’s dropping down from three miles in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham to two, but this is a horse who possesses plenty of speed and it’s not a worry.
He looked all over a winner at the top of the hill at Cheltenham and then didn’t get home. They are likely to go a swinging gallop, with buckets of runners, and Arvika will love that.
I fancy Alan King’s High Benefit in the fillies bumper, to give one of Paul Nicholls’ long-standing patrons, John Hales, a Festival winner.
And if still in the game come the last, also a bumper, then you could do worse than place your faith in another of Willie’s, Allee Garde.
He was narrowly beaten on his debut at Punchestown in February and has made significant improvement at home of late.
