Racing

Rivals Hurricane Fly and Jezki to meet for the sixth time in Ryanair Hurdle

Hurricane Fly leads three-two in head-to-head clashes with Jezki

Willie Mullins: “There is nothing to report on Hurricane Fly other than good work and he continues to please me.” Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Willie Mullins: “There is nothing to report on Hurricane Fly other than good work and he continues to please me.” Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Thu Dec 18 2014 - 17:56

Everything is set for round six in the rivalry between Hurricane Fly and Jezki as the pair headline nine entries for the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29th.

Hurricane Fly, who has won this Grade One three times, currently leads three-two in their head-to-head clashes.

Despite having seemingly lost the initiative at the end of last season, when Jezki beat him at Cheltenham and at Punchestown, Willie Mullins’ 10-year-old was back on top in the Morgiana Hurdle last month.

Poised to run

“There is nothing to report on Hurricane Fly other than good work and he continues to please me,” said Mullins.

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Ireland’s champion trainer has also left in Faugheen, but he is poised to run at Kempton a few days earlier. Arctic Fire is another possible for the Closutton yard. John Ferguson’s Purple Bay is the only British-trained representative, while Aidan O’Brien could run Plinth.

Alderwood could revert to hurdles, with Tiger Roll and King Of The Picts still in contention. Plunge horse Activial is among a final field of 19 for Saturday’s feature handicap at Ascot, The Ladbroke.

A smart juvenile last season, Harry Fry’s four-year-old has not been seen since slightly disappointing at Aintree in April and his price has more than halved since Monday.