February 26th, 2014 | 
Author: With many of the season’s big races come and gone, the contest to be Champion…
Hurricane Fly
2013 Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly is set to return to the Cheltenham Festival next month in the bid to retain his crown and be successful in the leading 2m hurdle contest for a third time.
It has already been a record breaking season for Willie Mullins’ hurdler as he reached Grade One victory number 17 in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on his opening run of the season. That is more than any other horse in history as it beats Kauto Star and American champion John Henry’s previous best of 16.
Hurricane Fly followed that up with a win in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 27. He took on two of his Champion Hurdle contenders on that occasion in Jezki and Our Connor and came out on top by over two lengths.
The 10-year has dominated the Irish Champion Hurdle in recent years and he made it four consecutive victories in the contest last month in his final run before travelling across for the Festival in March.
Hurricane Fly is currently locked at the top end of the betting with The New One in the Betfair market for the feature on day one.
Nigel-Twiston Davies’ runner won the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago in emphatic style.
He returned for the new campaign with a victory at Kempton where he came up against former Champion Hurdle winner Rock on Ruby in his first test.
Last year’s leading novice picked up the International Hurdle on his second outing of the campaign, but there was defeat in the Christmas Hurdle when My Tent or Yours finished ahead of him following a tactical race at Kempton. Sam Twiston-Davies chose to take up the running in the small runner field. A mistake at the last cost him ground which was crucial in a sprint finish up to the line.