Fly can wing in
He has won his last five races, four of them this season, and was quite brilliant when landing the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
The seven-year-old travelled beautifully through the contest and quickened in style from the last to beat Peddlers Cross by a length and a quarter.
Hurricane Fly had Thousand Stars a further seven lengths behind in fourth, with Menorah in fifth, and there seems no logical reason to think either of these can now trouble the selection.
It is hard to know what to make of Binocular at this stage. Nicky Henderson’s charge had to miss Cheltenham, because an antibiotic he was being given to clear an infection hadn’t left his system.
Then he went to Aintree, admittedly over two and a half miles, and finished only fourth behind Oscar Whisky.
One of the most fascinating battles of the week is promised between First Lieutenant and So Young in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle.
They clashed in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, a contest that would probably have gone the way of Oscars Well, but for a bad blunder at the last.
In any case, First Lieutenant rallied in fine style for Davy Russell’s urgings to nail Rock On Ruby close home, with So Young in third.
So Young was holding every chance when blundering at the final flight and then could not raise his tempo on the flat. There will be plenty who will fancy So Young on this occasion, but First Lieutenant is tough and durable and gets the nap.
Sicilian Secret finally got it together at Fairyhouse 12 days ago to cruise to a nine lengths success in a modest contest.
Willie Mullins rarely runs horses again so quickly and that is a pointer to Sicilian Secret’s chances in the Star Best For Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle.
