Mullins decision justified as Fly is victorious

By pulling clear of Jezki, the reigning champion, and securing a record 20th Group One win, the stirring success in the StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle certainly vindicated the decision of Willie Mullins to keep the warrior in training and jockey Ruby Walsh was visibly animated as he passed the winning post.

The victory was even more poignant because it came hours after the death of jump racing legend Dessie Hughes who partnered Monksfield to a famous Champion Hurdle win over the aforementioned Sea Pigeon in 1979 before he masterminded the career of Hardy Eustace who won successive renewals of the blue riband race in 2004 and 2005.

Though Mullins and Walsh will continue to be guided by Hurricane Fly’s form and wellbeing, they will be aware that this season’s two-mile hurdling division is still wide open – no superstar emerged at Cheltenham over the weekend – and their horse of a lifetime can still compete at the highest level.

To put Hurricane Fly’s career into context, his 20 Grade One wins compare with the 16 that top chaser Kauto Star accrued at the highest level – and invariably with Walsh in the saddle.

“He’s a horse that always had plenty of guts and determination. Some people may have had their doubts about him, but Kauto Star was also written off a number of times,” said the jockey.

“That’s racing, it’s all about opinions and he got a wonderful reception from the crowd here today.”

As for Mullins, he observed: “Hurricane Fly is getting older but if he can reproduce that sort of form then you’d be hopeful of more to come from him in top races. I’d imagine he’ll go to Leopardstown at Christmas.”

William Hill spokesman Jon Ivan-Duke said Hurricane Fly’s Champion Hurdle odds had been cut from 25-1 to 16-1.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham’s three-day Open meeting was dominated by trainer Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson who have been in unstoppable form since Menorah’s rousing victory in Wetherby’s bet365 Charlie Hall Chase earlier this month.

They have two exciting prospects in novice chaser Dunraven Storm and Garde La Victoire who took advantage of a pedestrian early pace to take the feature StanJames.com Greatwood Hurdle. While the latter’s win was a sixth for Hobbs at the meeting, Definitely Red’s success in the concluding Bumper for Louth trainer Steve Gollings took Johnson’s tally to a magnificent seven.

That said, there was a slight element of good fortune to Dunraven Storm’s win in the Racing Post Arkle Trophy Trial – Vibrato Valtat was probably given too much to do in the closing stages by his jockey Sam Twiston-Davies who was clearly mindful of the demanding conditions.

It was a rare lapse 24 hours after Twiston-Davies, 22, showed all his brilliance to land the Murphy Group Handicap on Grand National prospect Sam Winner before snatching the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Caid Du Berlais.

It looked like the honours would go to Johns Spirit for a second successive year before Caid Du Berlais – no better than fifth at the final fence – flew up the final hill to grab victory on the line.

There was a slight look of embarrassment on the winning jockey’s face – he advised champion trainer Paul Nicholls, after Sam Winner’s victory, to withdraw Caid Du Berlais because of the soft ground. “I was adamant to Paul that I didn’t think he should run, but he’s like my Dad – he knows best!” said the jockey.

Perhaps the most eyecatching performance at an informative meeting came courtesy of the David Pipe-trained steeplechasing debutant Kings Palace in the three-mile Cheltenham Club Novices’ Chase.

He jumped for fun under Tom Scudamore and the RSA Chase at the National Hunt Festival will be his ultimate target.

Trainer Dan Skelton’s winning run continued at Wetherby when What A Good Night took the feature handicap chase thanks to a patient ride by his younger brother Harry.

There was also a hat-trick for Dougie Costello aboard Silver Dragon, One Track Mind and Forced Family Fun.

Meanwhile, War Singer, runner-up to Forced Family Fun, 
was disqualified and luckless jockey Nick Scholfield banned after he weighed in one and a half pounds lighter than his allotted 11st 4lb.

Tribute to Dessie Hughes: News, page 2.