Hurricane Fly knuckled down in his inimitable fashion to clinch an historic fifth consecutive victory in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle.
Willie Mullins’s incredible 11-year-old was bidding to make it 10 starts unbeaten at his beloved Leopardstown and claim a 22nd victory at Grade One level.
For much of the journey it appeared unlikely, however, with Ruby Walsh getting lower in the saddle in the back straight to keep the 11-10 favourite in touch.
With the pacemaking Plinth fading, last year’s Champion Hurdle hero Jezki took over from the home turn, with Hurricane Fly responding to Walsh’s urgings on the inside of the track.
The big two headed down to the final flight as one and Hurricane Fly appeared to be getting on top when Jezki blundered, handing his old rival the initiative.
To the delight of the packed grandstands, Hurricane Fly galloped all the way to the line to seal yet another momentous triumph.
His stable companion Arctic Fire came through to deny Jezki the runner-up spot.
The score stood at four-two in favour of Hurricane Fly heading into their seventh battle, but the prospect of a sounder surface gave connections of Jezki confidence the Cheltenham hero could gain his revenge.
Plinth, employed by Jezki’s owner JP McManus as a pacemaker, was struggling to get to the front from the outset and it was inevitable he would eventually capitulate.
Jezki cruised to the lead at the second-last, but Hurricane Fly, who himself appeared to be finding the gallop a little too hot for much of the way, was typically dogged and clawed himself back into the race.
It seemed that Hurricane Fly would win the argument when he managed to get back on terms as the final flight loomed and Jezki’s error sealed his fate.
Arctic Fire, third behind the big two in the Ryanair Hurdle at Christmas, ran a largely similar race having been held up by Paul Townend.
Walsh said: “He didn’t travel with the same fluidity as he has done in the past today, but I suppose when the going got a little bit tougher going to the second-last he started to pick up.
“When he rounded the bend and I got to AP (McCoy, on Jezki) I was thinking ‘how much is he going to find?’, but when I saw AP go for his whip I knew I had him covered.
“I was going as fast as I was able, as fast as he (Hurricane Fly) wanted to go, anyway. I was struggling.
“It was the outside track, we didn’t go mad early and they stepped up down the back to draw the sting out of us. It was a testing race.
“When I got more aggressive with him, he started to pick up and when I got on to AP’s tail, he stuck his head down like he always does.”
Walsh is confident Hurricane Fly had Jezki’s measure when the latter made his mistake.
He said: “He gave me a brilliant jump at the last. Obviously Jezki stepped into it and missed it and that probably enhanced the margin we won by, but he’s an incredible horse.
“I jumped the last well and going on past performances, he wasn’t going to shirk the issue from there home.
“I thought I had it. It was unfortunate Jezki made the mistake, as without Jezki you wouldn’t have the race.
“He’s come back here now and won five of these (Irish Champion Hurdles) and 22 Grade Ones, he’s a pleasure to ride, he’s a credit to Willie and the staff at Closutton, he’s just a marvellous little horse.
“This horse means a huge amount to me. I ride so many horses with potential but for horses to go and deliver and to go and repeat it and deliver – Kauto (Star) managed it, Big Buck’s, it takes iron horses to do it and that’s what they are, they’re incredible horses and I’m just very lucky to have come along at a time when these good horses are around.”
Walsh now faces an agonising decision come whether to ride Hurricane Fly once more at Cheltenham in March or partner his stable companion and Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen, and an 11th hour call is likely.
He said: “When the two of them are working well three days before the race, I’ll make it then (declaration time).”
Un De Sceaux turned in another stunning front-running performance for the Mullins-Walsh combination to run out a brilliant winner of the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase.
Unbeaten in seven starts over hurdles, the seven-year-old came to grief on his chasing debut at Thurles in November but righted that wrong at Fairyhouse last month.
Sent off the 8-11 favourite for his Grade One debut, Un De Sceaux was soon adopting his customary trailblazing role and some bold leaps kept up the heat.
Gilgamboa was the first to feel the pinch, making a mistake in the back straight, and it was Clarcam who went in pursuit after jumping the second fence from the finish.
However, it was soon apparent he was struggling to bridge the gap and Un De Sceaux found another gear on the run to the final fence to leave his rivals trailing.
An accurate leap sealed his success and he came home a long way clear in the hands of Walsh.
Clarcam, already a Grade One winner over fences and receiving 12lb from the market leader, was a clear second, but not in the same league as the winner.
Walsh said: “They’re two good horses behind him, Gilgamboa and Clarcam.
“We went a good, honest gallop. I think the boys thought I might go a bit faster, but I thought I was going plenty quick.
“He jumped really well. He was good and brave down the back, he was very clever at the second-last and he quickened away from them and won very well at the death.
“I’d love the way he quickened off the bend and galloped all the way to the line. It’s a tough test here. People don’t realise how stiff Leopardstown is.
“For a front-runner that does everything on the bridle and going forward, he does find. He doesn’t stop. You know there’s a bit in the tank.
“This hasn’t been an easy horse to mind, train, ride, anything. To get him where he is now is a job well done.”
Mullins said: “His jumping was fantastic today and he looked reasonably settled.
“He stood off the first one down the back and got a bit close to the second-last, but otherwise he was very good.
“He’s passed the test today and the Arkle will be his target at Cheltenham.
“I was concerned about the ground today, but if anything he was better. He’s a bit stronger this year, but is not down to his best racing weight yet. Hopefully on better ground he’ll jump better again and faster.
“He was quite calm today and if he can repeat that performance (at Cheltenham) he will be tough to beat.
“He can stand off or he can stand anywhere. I thought he was awesome.”
Paddy Power made Un De Sceaux the 4-5 favourite from 2-1 for the Arkle on March 10th.
Gladiator King and Prince Of Scars shared the spoils after a thrilling climax to the opening Donohue Marquees Maiden Hurdle.
Tony Martin’s Gladiator King was a 2-1 shot in the hands of Tony McCoy, having finished a creditable third behind stable companion Blair Perrone on his hurdling debut at the track over the festive period.
Carrying the colours of JP McManus, the six-year-old travelled like the winner for much of the two-mile journey and loomed up ominously in the straight.
However, the Sandra Hughes-trained point-to-point graduate Prince Of Scars stuck to his guns admirably having been ridden positively by Roger Loughran and the two lunged past the line as one.
It did not take long for the judge to call a dead-heat and although the stewards held an inquiry, the result stood.
Dalmatia ran a promising race back in third.
Martin said: “He made a couple of mistakes but he’ll learn from it.
“It’s (dead-heat) better than being beat a head.”
