Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown today

Ruby Walsh was in brilliant form at Leopardstown yesterday, riding three sensational finishes, and we expect him to carry on the good work today by winning the featured Grade One Istabraq Festival Hurdle at 15.00 CET on Willie Mullins´ Hurricane Fly. However he will probably not need to pull out all the stops this time, as we expect Hurrricane Fly to win easily. Despite his odds-on defeat in the Champion Hurde last March, a race he won in 2011, Hurricane Fly is the best hurdler in training and it will be quite a shock if he loses here. He has won 14 of his 16 sztarts since joining Mullins and stands out on form and ratings. Unaccompanied (Dermot Weld/ Davy Russell) and Thousand Stars (Mullins/ Paul Townend) were first and second in this race last year, and they should now take the minor places. Unaccompanied, as a mare, is getting weight, but we think that the very consistent Thousand Stars, who stays well but is also effective at this 2 mile trip, can pip her for second. Cap tain Cee Bee (Eddie Harty/ Marlk Walsh) had done very well over the years, but he was 12 lengths behind Hurricane Fly last time and we cannot see him getting much closer now. he looks booked for fourth, as the only other runner has no chance. Hurricane Fly will not be at a backable prie, but we cannot see him getting beaten under normal circumstances.
It could be another big day for Willie Mullins, as he has good chances in several events. He has 2 runners in the Gtrade Three mares hurdle at 15.35, Zuzka (ridden by son Paddy) and Glen´s Melody (Walsh), who is lightly-raced but highly progressive. On form Zuzka certainly has the better chance, and she may enable Paddy the break the long-standing Irish record for the number of wins by an amateur jockey in a calendar year.
The big betting race here is the 3 miles handicap hurdle at 16.05 with 30 runners, including two German-breds, top-weight Catch Me (Edward O´Grady/ Mark Walsh) and Novarov (JF O´Shea/ SG McDermott); both are pretty smart, but neither is especially well handicapped. Catch Me finished second in the final of this series, at tjhe Cheltenham Festival and is no doubt being aimed at that race again; he has not won for 3 years but the handicapper refuses to show any mercy. Mullins has 2 runners here, Apt Approach (Paddy) and Darroun (Ruby) and the former is very well in on his chasing fprm, while Jessica Harrington has 3 runners, including last year´s winner Jetson (Robbie Power). We like these big handicaps, but this one looks just too difficult.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Lascalahall - Bangonform - Mister Farmer
2. Race: Sizing Gold - Dick Dundee - Hard To Swallow
3. Race: The Real Article - Lord Windermere - Toner D`Oudairies
4. Race: Hurricane Fly - Unaccompanied - Thousand Stars
5. Race: Glens Melody - Zuzka - Mae`s Choice
6. Race: Catch Me - Apt Approach - Jupitor
7. Race: Outlander - Dantes Firth - O Maonlai