Rabobank Champion Hurdle: Fly to face six rivals

Willie Mullins thinks that Hurricane Fly has 'home advantage'

Hurricane Fly faces just six rivals as he bids to land the Rabobank Champion Hurdle for the fourth successive year at Punchestown on Friday...

Among the horses taking on Willie Mullins' crack two-miler are three of his stable companions, Midnight Game, So Young and Thousand Stars. But it is the sole British raider, Rock On Ruby, who is expected to give Hurricane Fly the most to do.

The pair clashed in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, with Hurricane Fly coming out on top by two and a half lengths from Harry Fry's charge.

The Michael Winters-trained Rebel Fitz, winner of last year's Galway Hurdle, and Brendan Duke's Mister Benedictine make up the field. The three defections at the final declaration stage were Hurricane Fly's stablemates Zaidpour and Quevega and the Tom Mullins-trained Fosters Cross.

Mullins feels "home advantage" further increases Hurricane Fly's chances of victory.

He told At The Races: "We've been happy with the horse all year. He's been doing all his work well, eating up after, and coming back strong after his races.

"We've spent a lot of time trying to settle him and maybe it's working, as he's not as aggressive as he used to be. Punchestown might suit Rock On Ruby, but it's an away game for him, a strange place, where for us it is just up the road."

Walsh also believes racing on home soil has to give his mount an extra edge. "He's in really good order. Punchestown is 35 minutes up the road for Hurricane Fly but it's a long way from Dorset (for Rock On Ruby)," he said.

Fry knows it will be difficult to reverse Cheltenham form, but intends to ensure Rock On Ruby gives it his best shot.

"We want to ride to give ourselves the best possible chance and that's to play to our strengths, which is that we know we stay." 

"We certainly don't want it to be a crawl and a sprint so I wouldn't be surprised if we employ similar sort of tactics to the ones we used in the Champion Hurdle."

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