No flies on awesome Hurricane
He struggled — at least for a while — when winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, but stripped an altogether more potent weapon here and his performance was as smooth as silk.
“The English have never seen him at his best, for whatever reason”, said Walsh. “He was brilliant, a great little horse.
“He’s incredible, so accurate and professional. He won ugly at Cheltenham and classy here.”
Thousand Stars carried them along at a generous gallop and this was certainly a proper race. Last year’s Champion Hurdle winner, Rock On Ruby, stalked in second, with Walsh content to bide his time.
Noel Fehily made his move over two out on Rock On Ruby, but Hurricane Fly was quickly in pursuit, travelling powerfully.
Walsh sat for a little while and then decided there was no point delaying the inevitable. He asked Hurricane Fly to go about his business and the response was immediate.
The winner swept ahead, popped the last and strode up to the line on the bridle and well clear.
Rock On Ruby, unsuited by the heavy ground, had no more to give and Thousand Stars rallied to deny him second.
Willie Mullins was clearly thrilled with Hurricane Fly and said: “He did some fantastic work with Quevega last Saturday. His work blew me away and was as good as I’ve ever seen.
“We were just counting down the days to the race and hoping he wouldn’t get something like a stone bruise.
“Hurricane Fly hasn’t many miles on the clock and we will just mind him for next season. You are always scared of younger horses coming through.
“They can improve by a few pounds, or even a stone, whereas our fellow isn’t going to improve any more.
“I will consider the French Champion Hurdle, but that is probably it for the season. Next season it will be more of the same.”
Mullins took the other Grade 1 as well, the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, with Un Atout.
The champion trainer was due to saddle Pont Alexandre in this contest, but he pulled out lame in the morning and Noel Meade’s Mullaghnoe River was also an absentee, leaving just three runners.
Un Atout made virtually all the running, but pecked at the back of the final flight and was headed on the run in by Ubak. He found plenty for Davy Russell, however, to get up close home and win by a neck.
“He’s a three parts brother to Sir Des Champs and was good”, said Mullins. “My French connections tell me he could be better than Sir Des Champs over fences.
“I loved the way he came back and Davy was very, very good on him. We thought one of the others might make the running, but I wasn’t worried, because he does some of his best work in front at home.”
Mullins revealed that Un Atout, who doesn’t have the best of feet, missed a couple of days work on the lead-in to the race.
Mullins then completed a treble, taking his total to ten for the week, when Un De Sceaux toyed with the opposition in the Star Best For Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle.
He is owned by Glanmire, Co Cork businessman, Eddie O’Connell, and possesses a real engine.
The ex-French horse didn’t settle when winning his maiden here and was free through this contest as well.
But there is a style and swagger about him that’s impressive. He made all and Ruby Walsh, adding to his gains on Hurricane Fly, didn’t have to move a muscle, as Un De Sceaux strolled home 13 lengths to the good over Moscow Mannon.
“I’ve been looking for a good horse for Eddie for a while”, reported Mullins. “I hope he’s not ground dependent, but if he is then we’ll live with it. He’ll go out on grass now and more than likely stay hurdling.”
For Mullins it was a tenth success of the week, while facing into the final afternoon of the season today Davy Russell leads Ruby Walsh by four, 103-99, in the jockeys’ championship.
Jim Dreaper’s Goonyella, the victim of a slipped saddle in the Irish National at Fairyhouse, pounced late to grab the Breakfast With Hector On 2FM Handicap Chase.
Ruby Walsh produced Vesper Bell to lead over the second last and Goonyella was all of two lengths down with a hundred yards to go.
But he kept finding for Jamie Flynn driving and nailed Vesper Bell in the dying strides to score by a head.
Flynn, a 7lbs claimer, commented: “This is unbelievable. I saw who was in front of me and said to myself, how am I going to get past him?”
Winning trainer, Jim Dreaper, said: “This is not the fastest machine in the world, but he has never finished tired in a race.
“I think he will win a National one day, but whether it will at Listowel, or wherever, I don’t know.”
The layers got a decent result in the Aon Novice Handicap chase, victory going to Jessica Harrington’s 20-1 shot, Madam Bovary.
Partnered by Robert Power, she flashed up to lead at the second last and quickly stretched clear to easily beat Saoirse Dun.
Commented Harrington: “She was brilliant and loved the mud. The more it rained this morning the happier I got.”
Michael Hourigan’s Tropical Three made all of the running, in the hands of Johnny King, to take the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Fillies Scheme Premier Bumper.
“She’ll have a break now and come back over hurdles in September,” reported Hourigan
Any fears that Salsify, trained by Rodger Sweeney and ridden by his con, Colman, doesn’t handle testing conditions were dispelled when he ran away with the Racing Post Champion Hunters Chase.
Commented Sweeney senior: “He could now go to Stratford, we’ll see how he comes out of this.”
The modest opening hunters chase went to 14-1 shot Johnies Star, but the main talking point was the five-day suspension handed out to Derek O’Connor for an injudicious ride aboard fifth-placed Shin A Vee.
- The attendance was 26,360, as against 27,219 a year ago.
