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Hurricane Fly the One to Beat in Irish Champion Hurdle With only five looking likely to go to post in the Irish Champion Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown on Sunday 23rd January, the race is already looking like another battle between the two principles, Solwhit and Hurricane Fly. The two have already met twice this season, with Hurricane Fly winning both; firstly in the Grade 1 Hatton Grace Hurdle over 2½ miles at Fairyhouse on December 15th where he finished a comfortable 1½ lengths in front and then secondly in the Grade 1 Festival Hurdle over this course and distance, which he won even more comfortably, this time by 2 lengths. The two also met in the Grade 1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle (2m) at the 2010 Punchestown Festival last April which Hurricane Fly won once again, this time by a neck. Solwhit did get the better of Hurricane Fly however in the Grade 1 Punchestown Hurdle in November 2009; but to date that is the only time Solwhit has finished in front of the Willie Mullins stable star and a third victory for Hurricane Fly looks on the cards again this weekend. Voler La Vedette that excellent mare trained by Colm Murphy will take on the boys on Sunday, she had to settle for third place behind them both in the Hatton Grace, but she will surely improve for the run and looks to have the better of the other two contenders that make up the field of five, Sublimity, and the Mullins second string, Thousand Stars. A 1-2-3 of Hurricane Fly, Solwhit and Voler La Vedette could be the way to go for anyone looking for a little more value than backing the favourite at 1/2! The betting as it stands currently has Hurricane Fly as short as 1/2 whilst Sublimity can be backed at a best price of 11/4 and Voler La Vedette at 14/1. All three have their sights set on Cheltenham 2011 and Sunday’s race is likely to be the last run before the festival in March, where Hurricane Fly remains the 5/1 second favourite to win a competitive looking Champion Hurdle, while Solwhit who was sixth in the race last year is only rated at 33/1 to win. Voler La Vedette meanwhile will be aimed once again at the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle in which she finished third last year behind dual winner, Quevega, also trained by Willie Mullins, who will be going for a hat trick of wins in the race. Voler La Vedette is 6/1 to win the Mares Hurdle while Quevega is a very short priced antepost favourite at 5/4 but is difficult to oppose her landing the hat-trick of wins in the race. |
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