Hurricane Fly (left) jumps the last upsides Our Conor in the Ryanair Hurdle

 PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos),  BY TOM KERR2:05PM 29 DEC 2013 

HURRICANE FLY confirmed he is still king of the two-mile hurdlers, in Ireland at least, as he defeated Jezki and Our Conor to win his 18th Grade 1.

In what was anticipated to be a major test of his credentials, the nine-year-old reigning champion hurdler took on the two best youngsters in the country – Supreme Novices’ third Jezki, five, and Triumph Hurdle winner Our Conor, four.

			HORSE/SP	AGE	WGT	TRAINER/JOCKEY	OR	TS	RPR
«	1		Hurricane Fly (IRE) 11/10F	9	11-10	W P Mullins	175	*	*
						R Walsh
«	2	2½	Jezki (IRE) 15/8	5	11-10	Mrs John Harrington	161	*	*
						A P McCoy
«	3	3¼	Our Conor (IRE) 3/1	4	11-7	D T Hughes	161	*	*
						Danny Mullins
«	4	3¾	Captain Cee Bee (IRE) 66/1	12	11-10	Edward P Harty	149	*	*
						Mark Walsh
«	5	4	Thousand Stars (FR) 25/1	9	11-10	W P Mullins	164	*	*
						Paul Townend

5 ran TIME 3m 59.80s (slow by 14.80s) Total SP 113%
1st OWNER: George Creighton & Mrs Rose Boyd BRED: Agricola Del Parco TRAINER: W P Mullins
2nd OWNER: John P McManus
3rd OWNER: Barry Connell
TOTE WIN £1.80 PL £1.02, £1.50; Ex £3.30; CSF £3.75

In this tussle between experience and youth, experience proved the more potent. Jezki - who was hampered, although probably not decisively, approaching the last hurdle – came home two and a half lengths down in second, while Our Conor finished a tame third on his seasonal debut.

“He flew the last and Ruby said that he was idling in front. We are very pleased,” said trainer Willie Mullins.

“He’s coming on. He’s improving all the time. That race will bring him on a good bit and we will come back here in January and then onto Cheltenham. “

With the Irish hurdling hierarchy arguably re-established by this race, attention will turn to the Stan James Champion Hurdle in March, the seasonal target for a panoply of Britain and Ireland’s best horses.

Several firms still rate the British contenders My Tent Or Yours and The New One as narrow favourites, although bet365 make Hurricane Fly their 3-1 joint-favourtie with The New One and Ladbrokes cannot separate the trio, making all 3-1. Willie Mullins’ star is best-priced at 4-1 with Paddy Power, William Hill and Boylesports.

Just five went to post for the Ryanair Hurdle, with likely pacemakers Captain Cee Bee – representing JP McManus, who also owns Jezki – and Thousand Stars joining the big three.

Captain Cee Bee made the running ultimately, establishing a lengthy lead in the countryside before the the five bunched up between the last two hurdles. It was there that Jezki got caught in a pincer, stuck behind the retreating Captain Cee Bee and penned in by Our Conor to his right.

That allowed Hurricane Fly an easy lead and broke Jezki’s momentum at a crucial moment. Nevertheless, the manner in which the Fly forged clear after the last hurdle strongly suggested that he would have won regardless, albeit by a slimmer margin.

“It was hugely tactical race and Ruby was very, very cool on him,” said Mullins. “I wasn’t half as cool up in the stands let me tell you. I thought they had left Captain Cee Bee too far in front and then, when they swung for home, Ruby had to move a bit quicker than he wanted to coming up the straight because they got Tony [McCoy] into a bit of trouble on Jezki.

“We had talked about tactics but we never though Captain Cee Bee would go on and make it. That was a game changer when he kicked on.

“Tony McCoy didn’t seem to worry so when Tony wasn’t worried, Ruby wasn’t either. He sat as cool as a cucumber at the back.”

By winning his 18th Grade 1, Hurricane Fly broke his own record for the most top-tier wins, and Mullins paid tribute to his stable star.

“To get a horse as special as this only happens once in a generation and we are lucky that we have him,” he said.

fonte: RacingPost