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.
