Fehily finds rare bright spot

It might have been a nightmare Champion Hurdle for Irish punters, but part of West Cork was celebrating last night after Castletownkinneigh’s Noel Fehily steered Paul Nicholls’ Rock On Ruby to glory yesterday.

Half the country was on unbackable favourite Hurricane Fly, but it was Nicholls’ secondary team who rode to the rescue of beleaguered bookies.

Largely discarded in the betting at 11/1, Rock On Ruby came to the rescue of the layers and caused a mountain of accumulators rolling onto 4/6 favourite Hurricane Fly to flutter away by the wayside.

“I missed the last two festivals so this makes it really special,” said Fehily. “The Champion Hurdle is a race you want to win, but you never think it will happen. I hoped Ruby wasn’t stalking me, but I gave him a good kick and I knew it would take a good one to pass him.”