Champion Hurdle 2015

Faugheen is currently on 173 but the senior handicapper Noel O’Brien said: “If you asked me if Faugheen has it in him to exceed Istabraq’s mark, and Hurricane Fly’s, I’d have to say, yes.“It’s very possible he can get even better.
“He’s an unusual horse in that he can make mistakes but they appear to make no difference to him. What makes him stand out though is his range. He started out at three miles, won a two-and-a-half mile novice championship last year, and was novice champion at two miles here at Punchestown.
“Kauto Star is probably the best chaser we’ve seen since Arkle because he was able to win Grade Ones at two, two-and-a-half and three miles. The great horses have that sort of range. Faugheen is definitely one of those.”
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Grasshopper said:
He's done more than enough for connections, and it's now time to stop, before all people remember is him struggling against horses who were previously unfit to grace the same turf, when he was in his pomp.
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i've read this was the sad way that Mill House finished his career in 68 and 69..its not a great way to go out really
 
His first 3 runs of the season were excellent,Cheltenham and Punchestown were perfectly acceptable -obviously Auteuil was a damp squib.If the horse is in good form there is no reason to retire him -he could avoid Willies championship and run in some really nice races.
 
History suggests that when their form goes, it generally falls off a cliff, rather than drop-away evenly. Moscow Flyer is a case in point.

Auteuil was palpably Hurricane Fly's poorest hurdles outing to date by some way - struggling behind horses he would have laughed at in his prime - and the possibility that he is now on the downgrade, is very real.

If they think they can get him ready, then fair enough, but hopefully Mullins is smart enough to know when to advise connections to stop, if he runs down the field on his comeback.
 
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Sizing Europe had a chance to finish his career on an amazing high if he was retired after his Punchestown win-did his Gowran win followed by two absolute hammerings justify the decision to keep him in training -absolutely 100% in my opinion.
 
Letting a horse down and getting him spot on again within in a 5 week period is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

Hurricane Fly would be at his absolute peak at Cheltenham and he didn't appear at his best when beaten an easy 1 3/4 by Jezki.

Very easy to say retire him but can we even suggest doing so based on one end of season run?

No one wants to see him struggling against one time inferior animals least of all WMP but all things being equal he'll probably want to go to the well one more time if he shows him he's fit and well

As stated earlier much depends on the plans for Douvan IMO but should he go chasing and Jezki is aimed at longer distances who is going to take him on?



Faugheen 174
Arctic Fire (GER)169
Jezki169
Hurricane Fly 168
Annie Power 162
Douvan (FR) 161
Kitten Rock 160
Dedigout 157
Nichols Canyon 155
Zabana 155
Shaneshill 153
Thousand Stars (153
Wicklow Brave 153
Windsor Park 153

WMP hand is so strong in the 2 mile division he could easily find a race or 2 for him yet that he could win running pounds below his best.
 
LUKE said:
Sizing Europe had a chance to finish his career on an amazing high if he was retired after his Punchestown win-did his Gowran win followed by two absolute hammerings justify the decision to keep him in training -absolutely 100% in my opinion.
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I view it slightly differently, Luke. When a horse has a record like Hurricane Fly, anything other than assured victory is just wasting time, imo.

To be fair, he has more than earned a final day in the sun, and I wouldn't crab connections too much, if they wanted to get him tuned to-the-minute for one last outing. Assuming connections are happy to send Faugheen to something like the Hattons Grace instead, the Morgiana looks the obvious race to establish how much he has left to offer.
 
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The problem is Grassy how do you let him go?

Take me and Sprinter Sacre I was as big a fan as anyone, bigger than most, when he put in those Arkle like leaps at Donnie.

It a hard pill to swallow and the closer you are to a horse the less chance of seeing what's right in front of your eyes.

Paul Nichols would have been left wondering every day for the rest of his life had he not given Kuato that final try in the King George.

Barry G was convinced SS was back to his best yet his best buddy Davy Russell more or less said he was dreaming.

WMP may have no choice but to run Hurricane Fly again if he looks the part.

The problem is being the part and looking the part aren't always the same thing and he might end up getting hammered by some inferior animal.

BUT so what? Nothing can take away the enjoyment he gave thousands nor can they take away all those Group 1 wins.

A long as he's happy doing his thing what happens between now and the day he retires don't mean sh!t.....he is and always will be THE FLY
 
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Fist, I'll be last the one greeting if he wins another G1 (and probably the first when he eventually is retired). He has surprised me before, and maybe he can do it again - but if he runs below par again, I'd prefer it of connections didn't keep going, just to chase 'another win' or 'go out on a win'.
 
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