RACING:THE REAL Article is one of just four likely runners in today's €160,000 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown but he might still experience a "General Custer" atmosphere when surrounded by the might of a Willie Mullins team headed by Hurricane Fly.
The latter is seeking a hat-trick of wins in the day four festival feature which has survived another major programming reshuffle due to the appalling weather conditions that have decimated Punchestown’s big week. It has led to another inspection, this time at 8am this morning. “It’s precautionary. If we get a lot more rain than is forecast, we could be borderline,” a spokesperson said.
The extent of the rejigging can be measured by the cancellation of the four steeplechases originally scheduled for today but the inclusion of the Grade One Ryanair Chase moved from yesterday to make another five-race card this evening.
That call has been made because it is a Grade One event worth €100,000 and because it has just seven runners over the minimum two-mile trip. It’s planned to run six races tomorrow, including the Tote Gold Cup and two other chases, but even if that plan works out, the festival will still have lost nine races in total. Plans are under way to run all nine at later dates.
There has been little break for the opposition against Mullins this week and that’s unlikely to change in today’s highlight. Hurricane Fly’s failure to defend his Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham was hugely deflating but he has been dominant in this race for the last couple of years and a convincing success again today would consign last month’s defeat to the “one of those days” bin.
Mullins also runs Thousand Stars and Zaidpour leaving The Real Article as the only interloper on the champion trainer’s party. And his jockey Barry Geraghty caught the general mood on the likely outcome yesterday.
“Mine is a good horse and is competitive at the level but Hurricane Fly will be very hard to beat,” Geraghty said. “If Hurricane Fly turns up in his usual form, then he looks a shoo-in.”
Not surprisingly Mullins was hardly as publicly definite but conceded: “I’d be hoping for a lot more than at Cheltenham. Hurricane Fly is working well and seems in good form. Hopefully he can produce a good performance.”
The champion trainer also has the likely hotpot in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle with the Neptune runner- up Felix Yonger.
He was one of the surprise packets at Cheltenham last month, coming through the field to finish a clear second to the brilliant Simonsig. On that evidence he looks something of a standout in today’s event but he does look a type to be at his best on much better going. Against that is the fact that he won a pre-Cheltenham Grade Two at Naas on heavy going.
Regal D’Estruval has been taken out of the rescheduled Ryanair Chase, and Shot From The Hip added to it, but the two-mile Grade One still looks set to be an Anglo-Irish head-to-head between First Lieutenant and Menorah.
First Lieutenant is dropping back in trip from the RSA at Cheltenham but his proven stamina is likely to be a crucial factor in weighing up this race. “He has won a Grade One over hurdles over two miles, so hopefully he’ll be all right with the trip,” said trainer Mouse Morris yesterday.
“The main question is whether he will handle the ground or not,” added Morris.
