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Hurricane Fly
Awarded a Timeform Annual Rating of 171, achieved when winning the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011, Hurricane Fly fell 4lb short of the 175 required to be considered one of the truly outstanding hurdlers of the Timeform era. Nevertheless, between May, 2008 and August, 2015, the son of Montjeu won 24 of his 32 races over hurdles, including a then-record 22 at the highest, Grade One level, and is widely regarded as one of the best Irish hurdlers of modern times. At the time of his retirement, his trainer Willie Mullins said, ‘What can you say about him? He’s a legend of a horse.’
Blessed with a slick jumping style a potent turn of foot, Hurricane won the Champion Hurdle at the first attempt, as a seven-year-old, in 2011. In 2012, despite starting odds-on, he lost his two-mile hurdling crown when only third behind Rock On Ruby, but regained it in 2013, reversing the form with Rock On Ruby to the tune of eight lengths. Thus, he became only the second horse, after Comedy Of Errors 38 years earlier, to do so.
In 2014, as a ten-year-old, Hurricane Fly was sent off favourite for the Champion Hurdle for the fourth year running. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, as he had been in his three previous attempts, he challenged at the second last flight, but was ultimately found wanting in the closing stages and finished fourth, beaten five lengths, behind Jezki. In 2015, on his fifth and final attempt to win the two-mile hurdling championship, Hurricane Fly was passed over by Ruby Walsh in favour of stable companion, and eventual winner, Faugheen. Hurricane Fly could not match the pace of Faugheen, or lesser-fancied stablemate Arctic Fire, in the closing stages, but nevertheless finished a creditable third, beaten 6½ lengths.
Get Ready for Cheltenham!
We always have a close eye on the Cheltenham Festival here at CheltenhamFocus.co.uk (the clue is in the name!) and right about now the excitement levels are reaching fever pitch as today is the start of the festival. From Tuesday ’til Friday we’ll get to see the titans of racing go head to head in some of the most coveted races on the national hunt calendar. There are grade I races such as the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle and of course the Cheltenham Gold up to look forward to and with prize money on offer that only the Grand National can compete with. As a fun intro to the festival, courtesy of Betway, let’s see what some of the Premier Leagues stars know about UK racing and Cheltenham (and the level of detail thy put into drawing horse). Enjoy.
Cheltenham Gold Cup 2020
Staged on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, on Friday, March 13, 2020, the Cheltenham Gold Cup was, effectively, the last major race run before the paying public. Nearly 69,000 spectators watched Al Boum Photo become the first horse since Best Mate, in 2004, to record back-to-back victories in the ‘Blue Riband’ event; four days later, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced nationwide ‘lockdown’ measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Whether or not the Cheltenham Festival should have taken place, at all, remains a matter for conjecture, but those in attendance were, at least, treated to a thrilling finish, with the first four home covered by less than two lengths. Favourite Al Boum Photo was spring-heeled at the notoriously tricky fourth-last fence and again at the third-last, but was narrowly headed by the strong-travelling Lostintranslation between the final two fences. He regained the advantage, albeit only marginally, at the final fence and stayed on to beat joint-second favourite Santini, all out, by an ever-decreasing neck. Lostintranslation finished a highly creditable third, 1¼ lengths back, with Monalee a further neck behind in fourth place.
Interestingly, four of the other six horses to record back-to-back victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup – namely Golden Miller, Cottage Rake, Arkle and, of course, Best Mate – went on to record a third. At the time of writing, Al Boum Photo is, once again, shading favouritism for the 2021 renewal, just ahead of his old rival Santini; still only an 8-year-old, he must have every chance of emulating his illustrious predecessors.