Hurricane Fly returns at Punchestown

Today sees the return of the dual Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh), who runs in the Grade One Morgiana Hurdle at 15.15 CET at Punchestown. He has won 17 of his 19 starts, including 7 times here, and has 16 Grade Ones to his credit; if he wins today, which seems a formality, he will set a new record for Grade One wins. He is not a betting proposition as he will start at prohibitive odds as he faces only 4 inferior opponents, 3 of which are also trained by Mullins. Midnight Game (Bryan Cooper), out of an Acatenango mare, is the one for the forecast, while Akatara, the only non-Mullins runner, will probably finish last but will collect prize-money just for completing the course.
Two other hot favourites likely to win at the Irish meeting are Faugheen (Mullins/ Walsh) at 13.35 and Defy Logic (Paul Nolan/ Mark Walsh) half an hour later. Both are regarded as exciting prospects.
Mullins had 3 winners here yesterday and also sends his second jockey Paul Townend to Cork, where the team can win the first two races with Upsie at ^13.55 and Valseur Lido at 14.25.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Chute Hall - Guiding George - Highbrow Blue
2. Race: Defy Logic - Felix Yonger - Shrapnel
3. Race: Don Cossack - Morning Assembly - Si C`Etait Vrai
4. Race: Midnight Game - Marito - Mikael D`Haguenet
5. Race: City Slicker - Bishopslough - Bendanella
6. Race: All Honours - Wells China - Castle Lantern
7. Race: Harvey Logan - Macbride - Fire Dawn