Fly swats Champion opposition
It was a smooth-as-silk performance, but essentially didn’t reveal anything we didn’t already know - that he is a better horse, indeed by some way - than old rival Solwhit.
Paddy Power left him at 5-1 for the Champion Hurdle and he remains unchanged with Ladbrokes at 9-2.
William Hill, however, tightened Hurricane Fly from 4-1 to 7-2, while the Stan James view was that 9-2, from 5-1, was the correct call.
What made this a decent effort on the part of Hurricane Fly, though, was the fact he came into the race under a minor cloud.
Reported Willie Mullins, saddling his first ever winner in the race: “He cut his heel here the last day and I wasn’t enamoured by his final piece of work at home, it was average enough.
“It didn’t look great to me and that was confirmed by Paul (Townend) afterwards. He always wears boots and I told Paul to take them off down at the start if they were bothering him. He didn’t take them off, so it was fine.
“I was hoping that adrenaline and running on grass would ensure he was okay and that was the case.”
When Hurricane Fly beat Solwhit here at Christmas, it was no more than a sprint, but that certainly wasn’t the case on this occasion.
Mullins also had the grey, Thousand Stars, in the field and he led immediately, setting a spanking gallop.
Said Mullins: “Paul and Katie (Walsh on Thousand Stars) obviously decided down at the start there was going to be no pace.”
Hurricane Fly settled quite beautifully in second, with Solwhit content to keep a watching brief in third.
Early in the straight, however, it was apparent that Hurricane Fly was galloping all over his rivals and Townend soon let out an inch of rein.
The winner flew across the final flight and bounded away on the run in to beat Solwhit by three and a half lengths, with Thousand Stars battling on bravely for third.
Said Mullins: “We have always thought he was a real talent, but has had niggling little problems.
“I’m delighted, he tends to go right over his hurdles when on his own, but was slick when horses were around him.
“I can’t see myself running him again before Cheltenham, We will take him home now and give the horse a break.
“I don’t know if he has to improve to win a Champion Hurdle, we will just pitch up on the day.”
