HURRICANE FLY will have his first race in almost nine months when defending his BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle crown at Leopardstown on Sunday but Willie Mullins is banking on his stable star’s proven ability to hit the ground running.
An impressive racecourse gallop at Leopardstown earlier this month put the wheels back on the 2011 horse of the year’s campaign to retain his Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham in March. Nevertheless, this weekend’s €110,000 feature will be most people’s first opportunity to see the Mullins superstar since he completed a perfect five-from-five season at Punchestown last year.
“Race-fitness has to be a worry with him going into such a race,” Mullins admitted yesterday. “But I’m happy with him and he has managed to win first time out in most seasons.”
Hurricane Fly won his very first start for the champion trainer in 2008 after nine months without a race. After two more summer appearances that year, he returned after five months to land the Royal Bond Hurdle as a novice. Hurricane Fly also won first time out last season.
A dozen entries remain in the highlight of the upcoming Leopardstown January Jumping Weekend with the former Champion Hurdle winner Binocular remaining a possible starter for Nicky Henderson.
It is 18 years, however, since the last British-trained winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle.
Saturday’s Leopardstown highlight on a new rejigged January schedule will be the €100,000 Boylesports Hurdle, which was known last year as the MCR, just one of its many titles over the years.
Scottish Boogie is currently an 11 to 2 favourite with the sponsors for the coveted handicap with JP McManus’s Reizovic next best on 7 to 1. McManus has never won the race.
The five-day forfeit stage for the Boylesports Hurdle takes place today, and also for the Leopardstown Chase.
