Hurricane blows rivals away
The contest was run in horrendous conditions, driving wind and snow, but Hurricane Fly moved through the race like a dream and his five lengths winning margin over stable companion, Thousand Stars, was no indication of his superiority.
Bookmaker reaction was entirely predictable and he was immediately promoted to favouritism for the Champion Hurdle by every firm.
Thousand Stars and no-hoper, One Cool Shabra, took each other on from the start and that ensured a decent gallop.
Thousand Stars got the best of the fight, moving ahead after the third last. The grey continued to maintain the gallop, but Hurricane Fly soon moved up behind, on the bridle for Ruby Walsh.
Early in the straight, Walsh told Hurricane Fly to lead and the response was swift and decisive. The diminutive son of Monteju strode effortlessly to the front and was asked to do virtually nothing from the back of the last to win with his head in his chest.
Trainer, Willie Mullins, said: “That was fantastic and I just want to keep him in the same form over the next six or seven weeks.
“I’m not interested in anything else in the Champion Hurdle, my job is to just concentrate on getting my horse there.
“That was run in a blizzard of sleet and snow and it was very difficult for any jockey. I’ve had faith in Hurricane Fly all season.
“He was much stronger when coming in off grass and, unlike last year, has been able to keep his condition.
“I think he is in the same sort of form as two years ago (won Champion Hurdle). He is holding his form, he might even be improving.”
Walsh said: “He was very, very good. He travelled and jumped and was hard to fault. It is hard to know if he’s as good as he was, but is certainly going the right way.”
Thousand Stars battled on doggedly to hold Binocular for second and Mullins said he might miss Cheltenham and head instead to Aintree.
Nicky Henderson was entitled to be more than pleased with Binocular, who won the Champion Hurdle three years ago and was making a somewhat belated seasonal debut.
He began to struggle coming away from three out, but kept finding up the straight and is clearly far from a back number.
Said Henderson: “He hated the ground, we knew that before the race. He blew up at the second last, but then ran on to the line.
“He needed the run, having been held up by the bad weather at home. We’ll now decide whether he should have another run, or a racecourse gallop, before the Champion Hurdle.”
The stewards, rather strangely, inquired into the running and riding of Binocular and heard evidence from Henderson and Tony McCoy. The explanations offered were accepted.
For Hurricane Fly it was a remarkable 14th Grade 1 success and he has now won this race for the last three years.
