THE Irish Hurricane flew in and blew his rivals away to claim the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on the opening day of the Festival.
Willie Mullins’ Hurricane Fly, the great hope from across the Irish Sea, was backed into 11-4 favourite and proved a superb winner of the two-mile championship – lowering the colours of Donald McCain’s previously unbeaten Peddlers Cross in dramatic fashion.
He is now as low as 3-1 to reclaim his crown in 12 months ago with William Hill best at 5-1. But for now Mullins and jockey Walsh were celebrating another big success at Prestbury Park.
McCain’s Overturn, as is his style of running, set a searching pace in front before giving way to his stable-mate coming into the home turn. But Hurricane Fly and Walsh tracked Peddlers Cross and Jason Maguire and cruised up ominously coming to the last.
He took over from McCain’s six-year-old stable star, but Peddlers Cross wouldn’t give up his unblemished record without a fight. He looked to be getting back up in the run to the line, but Walsh asked for more and Hurricane Fly scorched home by a length and a quarter lengths. Nicky Henderson’s Welsh Champion Hurdle hero Oscar Whisky was back in third place with Hurricane Fly’s stable-mate Thousand Stars claiming fourth.
Walsh, who secured a first-day treble with wins for Al Ferof and hat-trick hero Quevega, believes the Montjeu gelding’s class told.
He said: “We know he has the speed and class. He’s shown the ability that myself, Willie Mullins and Paul Townend always believed he had. He’s a deserved champion.
“He’s only small but he has a big heart and he needed it today. I probably got there a fraction too soon, but he never gave me a chance early doors.”
Mullins believed Hurricane Fly was as good as he proved, but was just relieved to have got the seven-year-old to Cheltenham after missing the previous two Festivals following setbacks.
Mullins said: “We had no excuses, everything had gone right the whole year. It was just great to get here and the relief even when he left the parade ring was enormous.
