Hurricane Fly has joined Menorah and Binocular at the head of the market for the Champion Hurdle after taking the Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
Willie Mullins’ gelding got the better of old rival Solwhit in a driving finish despite his rival having a fitness edge and is now the 4/1 co-favourite of three with totesport for the two-mile championship race at Cheltenham.
‘Hurricane Fly showed exactly what he was capable of in the Hatton’s Grace and if he manages to stay sound until Cheltenham, then we could be in for a cracking renewal of the Champion Hurdle,’ said totesport spokesman George Primarolo.
Elsewhere on the card, Mikael d’Haguenet has been cut to 7/1 (from 8/1) by totesport for the RSA Chase despite falling at the last when seeming in control of the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase. The eventual winner Jessie’s Dream has been cut to 14/1 (from 20/1) for the same race.
Zaidpour has been slashed to 4/1 (from 12/1) by totesport for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after running away with the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle and has also been cut to 6/1 favourite (from 10/1) for the Neptune Investment Management Novice Hurdle at the Festival. Toner d’Oudairies recorded a two-and-half-length victory in the Bar One Racing Juvenile 3-Y-O Hurdle and has been given a quote of 20/1 for the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Over at Newbury, Third Intention was given a quote of 25/1 by totesport for the JCB Triumph Hurdle after making a winning debut over hurdles in the Blackmore Building Juvenile Hurdle. Later on the same card, Minella Class was introduced into the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 25/1 after winning the First Great Western Maiden Hurdle. He remains a 20/1 shot for the Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle.