Hurricane Fly shrugged aside a 236 day absence and the step-up to two and a half miles to beat favourite Solwhit in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle. In the process he was completing a double for Willie Mullins and Paul Townend at Fairyhouse, successful half an hour earlier in the Grade 1 Royal Bond with Zaidpour
Solwhit tried to take the finishing kick out of the successful Montjeu gelding in the straight but he couldn't get Paul Townend's mount off the bridle and he quickened like the top-class hurdler that he is on the run-in to prevail by a length and a half. The mare Voler La Vedette ran a big race to take the third spot, a length and three parts adrift whilst there was just two lengths back to the fourth-placed Mourad (Katie Walsh up for Willie Mullins).
A strained suspensory ligament in mid-December restricted Hurricane Fly to only two runs last season and he brought the score with Solwhit to 2-1 in his favour now. Solwhit beat him in the Grade 1 Punchestown Hurdle in November 2009 whilst Hurricane Fly got his revenge in the Champion Hurdle at the same track last April.
Mullins said of his charge (now 7/2 from 7/1 with Stan James for the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle): "Paul gave him a terrific ride. He pulled very hard early on but he managed to get him back for a breather and at the second last the horse got his second wind.
"He was very professional at the last and then put his head down and done his job. I think he'll improve for the run and there looks like there's more to come. We'll look at Christmas now (the Grade 1 Leopardstown Golf Centre December Festival Hurdle) and the Irish Champion.
"The preparation wasn't ideal and we're just delighted to be here. I must give credit to the manager here, Peter Roe and to HRI for rearranging this fixture."
