Racing: Willie Mullins insists there are no problems with Hurricane Fly's wellbeing, despite the reigning Champion Hurdle winner missing another engagement at Leopardstown tomorrow.
Last seen winning at Punchestown in May, Hurricane Fly was ruled out of his first scheduled engagement in last month's Morgiana Hurdle and it had appeared uncertain whether he would line up in this week's Istabraq Festival Hurdle.
He was not declared after failing to impress Mullins sufficiently in recent pieces of work.
"He's grand and Paul Townend rode him out this morning," Mullins said on Wednesday afternoon. "I just wasn't happy that he was straight enough to do himself justice. He's fit and well but he just hasn't worked well enough to run tomorrow.
"He worked against Thousand Stars on the Curragh last week over a mile and two furlongs and he needed it badly. After that I wasn't happy I had him in order. I told the owners that I wasn't happy with him and there was a chance he wouldn't run tomorrow. I left him in and decided to make a decision late on.
"As I've said before, he'll run when he's ready and not before. I want to get a run into him before Cheltenham."
Mullins suggested Hurricane Fly could have a racecourse gallop, while his next serious option could be the Irish Champion Hurdle on January 29th.