Hurricane storms back to turn tables on Jezki

Dethroned at Cheltenham last March and beaten again by his arch-rival at the Punchestown Festival, former dual-champion Hurricane Fly turned the tables on reigning champion Jezki in the Grade 1 Stanjames.com Morgiana Hurdle in Puncehstown yesterday.

In a fascinating duel, perfectly set up by the front-running mare Little King Robin, odds-on favourite Jezki, ridden for the first time by Mark Walsh, edged ahead early in the straight. But as he did, Ruby Walsh on Hurricane Fly loomed large, having recovered from a mistake at the second last obstacle.

Quickening well, Hurricane Fly held a narrow lead when his rival ‘missed’ the final flight and, although Jezki rallied, the former dual-champion was firmly on top on the run-in and ran on strongly to triumph by two and a quarter lengths, to consolidate his world-record total of Grade 1 successes, which has now reached a remarkable 20.