Was not taken by Hurricane Fly, as Willie Mullins said it was probably his least impressive run, but he ran a similar race 12 months ago. We will definitely see major improvement from this run as the season progresses, but whether that's going to be good enough come March I'm not so sure, he will be running against hurdlers who are better than any others he has faced, and given he is rising 10 and Cheltenham may not be his course, I have my doubts about him winning his third champion. He is no istabraq.

Hmmm?

2 Champion Hurdle wins and a Champion Hurdle 3rd in his 3 runs at Cheltenham, yet you say Cheltenham may not be his course? Not sure about that one?

However I agree with you about his chances this season. To win the Champion Hurdle as a 10yo looks nigh on impossible these days (Sea Pigeon was the last in 1981 and HF is nowhere near that standard).

It looks like shaping up to be a decent crop taking him on this year too. Frankly I'm amazed he is so short in the betting? I wouldn't touch him at his current price. Should be 10/1 minimum in my opinion.

drifted to 6s today

Don't remember Sea Pigeon winning more than 17 g1s

The Fly is one of the greats

i do agree its a tough mission this season but i 100% believe he is more than capable of seeing off those pesky kids

He may have won 2 champion hurdles, but was the quality of the fields as good as they are going to be in March, no.
Even Mullins and Walsh have said before that he doesn't seem to be as impressive at Cheltenham and it may not be his most favoured course.

when you start questioning the quality of a champion hurdle race at cheltenham you open yourself to looking like a begrudger. the best of the bet go there whoever wins the champ. hurricane fly won it twice and 3 irish champion hurdles. if you dont respect them results what do you respect? 17 group wins cannot be ignored no horse can do no more than win that many gp1 races and still return

plenty more g1s left in tank too IMO

Was I questioning the quality of his two champion hurdles? no. I was just saying this seasons field is going to be much stronger. What would be the best horse Hurricane fly has beat in his 17 grade one wins?

And Why do you keep going on about times Emeraldpegasus? what do they mean? nothing.

this qualifies for you questioning it mate!

i consider times to be a good indicator and one of many factors in narrowing down the field/selections.

winner = fastest to the finish. time= an indicator/ record benchmark horse who went faster, i know youl say going course fences etc but we can average it out and account for them if you do the math homework times weights and lenghts its not rocket science and its paid off for me over the years ive picked lots good priced winners my way and im talking regular 8-1s not short price favs.

Ruby Walsh expects Hurricane Fly to make great strides
following his seasonal return in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown.
The dual Champion Hurdle hero secured a record 17th Grade One triumph on Sunday, but was not as impressive as many
anticipated in beating stable companion Marito by little over a length.

Walsh said: "Hurricane Fly gave me a good feel. Paul Townend, who rides him at home, thought he was as
unready as he has ever been.

"He came in that much stronger as it was a good summer, so we were struggling to get him really fit. He was a bit rusty,
he didn't jump as well as he can early on but he put in a tremendous jump at the last.

"We knew they would give him a race - we never thought they would beat him though, and he'll come on a lot."

Walsh respects Hurricane Fly's potential Champion Hurdle rivals, particularly The New One and My Tent Or Yours.

"You would have to be impressed by the progress The New One has been making. He was an okay jumper last year,
and there is no shame in getting beaten by At Fishers Cross at Cheltenham over a trip in January," said the jockey.

"For a novice to run an experienced horse like Zarkandar close at Aintree on his final start of the season was a
terrific run and Kempton last month was a particularly spectacular starting point.

"I've always been a My Tent Or Yours fan and he'd be a huge force in the Champion Hurdle if he could learn to settle -
he's the one we all have to beat if he does.

"He was a runaway winner of the Betfair Hurdle and although Champagne Fever touched him off in the
Supreme Novices' Hurdle, I think Champagne Fever is a hell of a good horse."

Never did I say it was poor champion hurdles. I said this seasons will be much stronger, there is a difference you know.

You can't get anything from times, it's how the race is run and what happens during the race etc. ground, pace,everything. You don't judge horses on times!

And Yes I've read that article about Hurricane Fly, and he will improve massively I have no doubt about that. But judging his last 3 visits to Cheltenham when he has been in top form, He will have his work cut out to beat TNO and MTOY, I have no doubt about that either. I'm not saying he isn't a really good horse, because he is, and it's a great achievement to win 17 grade ones. But the majority of them grade 1's he has won have been micky mouse races, you can't deny that. He is yet to face horses with the ability and class of this years crop.

You Can only beat what is put in front of you
He has beat a host of decent horses

Solwhit
Peddlers cross
rock on ruby *
Binocular *
thousand stars
so young
Countrywide Flame
Zarkandar
Grandouet
Cinders & Ashes
Captain Cee Bee
Oscars Well
Unaccompanied
Menorah
Voler La Vedette
Sublimity *
Medermit
Riverside Theatre
Kempes
Cousin Vinny
Quevega

* = Champion Hurdle winner

Not a bad list most if not all g1 winners
also My Tent or Yours Our Conner & The New One are all unproven at the highest level yet
all 3 are good horses & potential stars but there have been several classy novices that did not cut it at the highest level

If the horses he beat were great and anything special, why is his rating not higher than 173?, even after 17 grade 1's. It's because he hasn't faced the opponents.

Hurricane fly rating is 173
Our Conor 169p
The new one 169p
My Tent or yours 167p

They are four of the top five horses on Timeform Ratings and Hurricane Fly hasn't faced horses of them ratings. Plus all of them bar Hurricane Fly have more improvement and are expected to be better than there current ratings.

It's a little cynical to be saying they won't prove themselves at the highest level when they all have a rating which would win them each a champion hurdle. You say other classy novices did not cut it at the highest level. Yes that maybe so. But not novices with the ratings these have. That's the difference, you can see how good they are from a mile off.

Mate i agree with you they are young horses and should get better

I never said they won't prove themselves at the highest level i just stated they are unproven at the highest level now
and its because of their age why they are currently unproven i never sum up a horse up until its had a few runs
against top class opposition at the highest level

But facts are there have been many classy Novices that never made it at the highest level
having said that i expect at least 2 of these to shine in the future

hf has beaten former champion hurdlers. you cant beat anything better than that in a champion hurdle frankel!
im still surprised the racing media keeps focusing on th New One and My Tent or Yours alot more than Our Connor. i still think OC is the main threat to HF

ok frankel if you want to back a horse whos never ran faster than a 5 minute 2mile over a 3m30 sec 2mile horse ill gladly take your bet on any day!
and ill gurantee you (time doesnt matter you say!?) the fastest time of evey race will always win! erf ;P

I know he has beaten former champion hurdlers, and he can only beat what is in front of him and what's around at the time,I know it's not his fault but I'm talking about how good he is as a overall horse not his record! he hasn't faced anything of the ability and potential of the up and coming crop. TNO beat Rock on Ruby by 10 lengths, does that not get any credit? favourite for the champion hurdle is The New One, there's reasons for that you know.

And okay if your saying that, this is to prove your point wrong. 2013 Juddmonte International, Declaration of War's winning time was 2:05.74. 2012 Juddmonte International, Frankel's winning time was 2:06.59. So on your theory Declaration of War would have beaten Frankel?

Stop Talking Nonsense.