Hurricane blows them away at Leopardstown *

Hurricane Fly jumps the last in the rain at Leopardstown image: telegraph.co.uk

LEOPARDSTOWN witnessed the return of the king on Sunday as brilliant hurdler Hurricane Fly retained his Irish Champion hurdle crown with a scintillating performance. Willie Mullins’s eight year old gelding hadn’t been seen on the track since adding the Punchestown title to his Irish and Cheltenham champion hurdles last May but he was worth waiting for.

Setbacks meant that Hurricane Fly missed his seasonal debut at Punchestown two months ago and his reappearance was eagerly anticipated by race fans, anxious to see the champion. Reports from Closutton suggested that Mullins was finally happy with Hurricane Fly’s homework and all week excitement had been building about his return.

This excited anticipation ensured that a large crowd gathered around the parade ring in the pouring rain to catch a glimpse of Hurricane Fly for the first time in eight months. The relentless rain turned the ground heavier as the afternoon wore on and concerns about the champion’s ability to handle conditions saw his price drift to 4 / 5 favourite.

Mullin’s Thousand Stars, who had profited in the champion’s absence, took the field along at a good gallop in the hands of Paul Townend and Hurricane Fly settled in third as the field galloped their way through the mud. Hurricane Fly emerged from the gloom rounding the final bend cruising on the outside of long time leader Thousand Stars. Ruby Walsh sat motionless aboard as he glided past his stablemate and left a field of good hurdlers toiling in his wake.

image: skysports.com

Oscars Well put in an excellent performance to stay on strongly for second but he was six and a half lengths adrift of the imperious winner with Thousand Stars back in third. It was the performance of a champion and people rushed from the stands to acclaim him as he returned to a rapturous reception.

Afterwards a beaming Willie Mullins spoke of his delight. “He completely surprised me! I don’t know what the handicapper thought but it must be his best performance. They went a right good gallop and I’m not sure that he was enjoying the ground early on but Ruby said that once he put him into the race he just came alive. I was delighted with him, I couldn’t be happier.”

Mullins had some concerns over Hurricane Fly’s demeanour prior to the race. “He was very quiet in the parade ring before the race. Maybe he’s maturing but he was going round for Gail on the end of the lead rain and normally we have two people leading him up as he’s quiet tight. Early in his career we were worried about him coming into the parade ring and we were worried about how he would handle Cheltenham. Today he went round like a handicapper and I was a bit concerned that he might flop as my first two runners were disappointing.”

His fears were unfounded as Hurricane Fly put up the best performance of his amazing career so far to win his tenth Grade One and a return to Cheltenham in six weeks to defend his crown is next up and he should even come on for today’s win, according to his trainer. “I didn’t think so at home but to me that looked better than I’ve seen him before I’d be hoping that the race would bring him forward.” It’s a thrilling prospect for all racing fans.

Boston Bob clearing the last ahead of Lyreen Legend image:irishracing.com

Hurricane Fly’s victory was the highlight of yet another fantastic weekend for Willie Mullins. The Bagnelstown trainer seems in unstoppable form at present and he added another five winners over the weekend.

Just half an hour after Hurricane Fly he was back in the winners’ enclosure when Boston Bob was a hugely impressive winner of the Grade Two Synergy Security Solutions Novice Hurdle. Given a clever ride by Ruby Walsh, Boston Bob moved stealthily through the pack as the field turned for home led by Lyreen Legend. Boston Bob jumped the last well and powered away from Lyreen Legend to win by four lengths. The second horse kept going well in the mud and Make Your Mark kept up to his task well in the horrendous conditions to take third for Mullins.

Afterwards Mullins revealed that Boston Bob was suffering in the heavy ground and his victory in those conditions is a sign of his class and potential. He couldn’t hide his pleasure at the horse’s performance and is looking forward to Boston Bob running at Cheltenham, either in the Neptune or Albert Bartlett novice hurdles, but more excitingly going over fences next year.

“Ruby reminded me of the day we galloped what we thought were top horses down at Thurles and next thing one of the young lads who was riding Boston Bob just wheels up between them and I thought this fella was a bit better than he’s supposed to be. We said we have a racehorse here and so he’s proved. I thought with his size and scope, that he could carry the ten pounds penalty today however at the third last I didn’t! He’s just a big strong chaser and we are really looking forward to him over fences.”

Sir Des Champs, Hidden Cyclone and Fists of Fury jump the last image:joe.ie

Mullins had a treble on Saturday with Sir Des Champs getting the better of a tussle on the run in with Hidden Cyclone and Fists of Fury to land the Grade Two novice chase over two and a half miles. Despite making a slight mistake at the last he remains unbeaten and Cheltenham bound, where he holds entries in the Jewson and RSA novice chases. He was making it three winners in a row for his trainer who took the first two races with Darroun and Aupcharlie.

Mullins wasn’t the only trainer to have multiple winners at Leopardstown with two Kildare trainers getting in on the act. Moone based Jessica Harrington trained the winners of three races including the weekend’s big handicap, the Boylesports.com hurdle.

It was a dramatic victory for Citizenship and Robbie Power and Jessica Harrington had given up on her horse’s chance as the race had gone so badly for him. “Everything went wrong. He nearly came down at the first. Robbie said that he’s never won a race where everything went so wrong. He was stone last passing the stands and I had given up on him when they turned out the back because I thought he’s never going to get into it and then he started picking up. He stayed on really strongly and was almost pulling himself up at the end.”

Citizenship image:irishracing.com

She also trained the winner of the last race on Saturday and the first on Sunday. Jezki was a good winner of the bumper and Burn and Turn proved her class and ability when staying on well in ground she hated to win the opening maiden hurdle. The filly needs good ground to be at her best but she won’t be making the trip to Cheltenham with Aintree or Punchestown on the horizon for her.

RTÉ presenter Ted Walsh landed a quick fire double on Saturday. There were joyous scenes in the parade ring as daughter Katie steered Seabass to victory in the Leopardstown handicap chase and the Kill trainer indicated that Aintree may be on the agenda for him.

“He jumped great and travelled well. I was bit concerned about the ground but he handled it well. If he stays he'd be an ideal horse for Aintree. He'll probably get an entry and there's the Irish National as well,” said Walsh.

He didn’t have long to wait for another winner as Mark Walsh partnered Colbert Station to victory in the very next race,  the Ryan’s Event Cleaners Beginners Chase, for owner JP McManus.

*This article first appeared in The Nationalist  31 January 2012