"All Time Greats" Hurricane Fly

Racing is brought together through the horses. A good horse will get recognition but a great horse will be cherished. Great horses are not easy to come by. In recent years both codes of racing flat & national hunt have been blessed with equine stars. From Sea The Stars to Frankel on the flat to Kauto Star, Sprinter Sacre & Hurricane Fly on the jumps scene, racing fans have been truly spoilt. This blog follows the career of one of the most outstanding hurdlers ever seen for generations, the incomparable & record breaking Hurricane Fly.

Breeding:

Hurricane Fly was foaled and raised at the Irish National Stud in Kildare. Bred by Agricola Del Parco. He was a son of champion flat horse Montjeu out of minor Italian winner Scandisk. His sire Montjeu is known by many as one of the best flat stallions of his generation where he sired four Epsom Derby winners. Montjeu also made his presence felt on the jumps scene as well as Hurricane Fly he sired the high class chaser Noble Prince. Hurricane Fly was bred to be a good horse. He is a half brother to black type placed pair Hunzy & ThunderWing also a winner over hurdles as well as Diskussion a six time winner in Italy.  Scandisk has a three-year-old gelded son of Shirocco, whose daughter Annie Power is making waves over timber. Scandisk also has a two-year-old filly & colt foal by Yeats, who topped the Tattersalls Ireland November sale when selling to Ben Case for €120,000. Hurricane Fly was sold for €65,000 as a foal. 

Hurricane Fly's second dam is Yankee Lady. She is an own sister to Group three Ballymoss stakes winner Yankee Gold & (then) Group two Pretty Polly stakes winner and Irish guineas placed Lady Singer.  Yankee Lady is the grand dam of Dan Breen. A Listed placed hurdler he was third in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices Chase & also the Grade 2 Celebration Chase. This is from the immediate family of Indian stakes winners Sea Gaze & Portmans Square. 

Two- Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly started his career on the flat in a two-year-old maiden where he finished second. Running four times as a two-year-old he finished second twice and was sixth and third on his second and final start at two.

Three-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly returned as a three year old running out a four length winner of his three-year-old maiden. He followed that up winning a Listed race beating future champion stakes winner Literato. He was unable to follow that up in some Group 3 races. His final race in France before his move to Willie Mullins was a seventh placing in the Group 2 Prix Eugene on the 28th July 2007. Shortly after that Hurricane Fly was bought by Richard Hobson Bloodstock for George Creighton and Rose Boyce. 

Four-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly made his eagerly awaited debut for new connections over hurdles at Punchestown on the 07th May 2008 in the Punchestown Maiden Hurdle. He won by two lengths and was the 9/10F. He returned to France om the 25th May 2008 for the Grade 3 Hurdle at Auteuil. He won by a Length with Ruby Walsh on board. Hurricane Fly returned to France again on June 22nd to contest his first Grade 1 over hurdles in the Prix Alain du Beril. Davy Condon was in the saddle and he was beaten just over two lengths, following him behind in third turned out to be star mare Quevega. Hurricane Fly started his amazing run off by winning the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hurdle at Fairyhouse on November 30th 2008 beating Donnas Palm by a neck. He was 2/1F that day and young Paul Townend was in the saddle. Hurricane Fly had his final start that year in the Grade 1 Paddy Power future champions hurdle. He won by an enormous ten lengths beating fellow Grade 1 winner Go Native.

Five-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly returned to action in the Grade 1 Evening Herald Novice Hurdle with Ruby Walsh in the saddle. He won by seven lengths beating fellow Grade 1 winners Kempes and Riverside Theatre. It was November of 2009 when Hurricane Fly had his second outing in the Grade 1 Madigans Hurdle he was beaten that day by star staying hurdler Solwhit. That was his only defeat in home soil. Hurricane Fly was then put away for another season. 

Six-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly made his eagerly awaited return in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle Grade 1 at the Punchestown festival. He gained revenged on old foe Solwhit beating him by a neck. They beat Grade 1 winners Punjabi, Thousand Stars and Dunguib. Hurricane Fly & Solwhit locked horns again in the Bar One Hattons Grace Hurdle. Hurricane Fly emerged triuphant also beating Voler La Vedette. He returned again on the 29th December 2010 where he won the Grade 1 iPhone APP festival hurdle beating Solwhit for the third time by two lengths. 

Seven-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly remained undefeated in his seven year old campaign. He started the season off by winning the Grade 1 Irish champion Hurdle at Leopardstown beating Grade 1 winners Solwhit, Sublimity, Thousand Stars & Voler La Vedette. After a frustrating few seasons not being able to bring his star to Cheltenham due to injury Willie Mullins finally got the chance. Hurricane Fly faced one of his toughest tasks. The English were well equipped with two equally cracking hurdlers in Peddler's Cross and Menorah both coming to Cheltenham unbeaten over hurdles. It was Peddlers Cross who cased Hurricane Fly up the hill but the latter always found more under pressure and won by little over a length. Hurricane Fly finally proved to the world what a champion he was. He finished that year winning the Rabobank Champion hurdle at Punchestown. 

Eight-Year-Old:

Hurricane Fly started his season off missing his intended run in the Morgiana Hurdle. He returned later that season prompting fears that Willie Mullins was not happy with his stable star. All seemed well when he won the Irish Champion Hurdle in a canter. However there were stills rumors circulating that Hurricane Fly was not the horse he was the year before. Things didn't go to plan in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham where he finished third behind Rock On Ruby. It was his first defeat in over three years. The Irish fans came back bitterly disappointed. Hurricane Fly bowed out with a very workmanlike performance in the Rabobank Hurdle in horrendous ground. It was clear after that race that he wasn't right. He returned that November in the Morgiana Hurdle winning by twelve lengths from Captain Cee Bee and followed that up with decisive wins in the Grade 1 Istabraq Festival Hurdle. Hurricane Fly was starting out his new season in much better style.

Nine-Year-Old:

By the Time January came Hurricane Fly was making his third start ahead of the 2012/13 jumps season. The Year before he was only making his seasonal debut in January of 2012. The reports circulating that Mullins was a lot happier with the horses preparation this time around and he was coming back a much stronger horse. That proved to be right. Following a third win in the Irish Champion Hurdle Hurricane Fly was back to try and regain his champion hurdle title. It was a tough task. The last horse to complete the task of Comedy Of Errors back in the 70's. The last three champion hurdle winners were in the field Hurricane Fly, Rock On Ruby the current title holder and Binnocular the 2010 champion. Zarkandar winner of the Grade 1 Triumph Hurdle  and Cinders And Ashes winner of the Supreme Novices both in 2012 added further stiff competiton, The race in the early stages looked to be going horrendously wrong for the Irish champion as he was at one point three or four lengths adrift before being hampered by Grandoet. However Walsh's impeccable riding skills kicked in. He managed to get Hurricane Fly back on the bridle at the top of the hill and as they came down Irish eyes were smiling. He jumped the last two fences and won by just over two lengths. Hurricane Fly had defined the odds and regained his well deserved title. He again came back to Punchestown where he met 2012 champion hurdler and 2013 runner up Rock On Ruby. The Fly as he is affectionalty known put the race to bed in a matter of strides. The Hurricane was back. Hurricane Fly made his seasonal return in the Grade 1 Morgiana Hurdle beating Marito in a workmanlike fashion. He returned again on the 29th December in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle where he would face two young rising stars in Jezki & Our Conor. Jezki trained by Jessica Harrington was the top Novice last year and subsequently finished third in the Supreme Novice hurdle to Champagne Fever and My Tent Or Yours. While Our Conor was an unbeaten juvenile hurdler with his finest performance coming at Cheltenham in the JCB Triumph hurdle  were he annihilated his opposition by fifteen lengths. The race was billed as a mouthwatering clash. However when push came to shove the two promising young stars had no match for the champion as he gunned them down and ran away to win by over two. Jezki was second while Our Conor was third.

Conclusion of a Champion and the future:

Hurricane Fly is the first horse ever to win a record eighteen Grade 1 wins. He has constantly beaten the best Irish and British hurdlers. Willie Mullins has stated that he has settled more in his races and seems to get better with age. It has been confirmed that he will take a similar route to last season starting with the Irish Champion Hurdle, then on to Cheltenham and then finally Punchestown in April. Punters feel that Hurricane Fly won't beat The New One or My Tent Or Yours who both have got off at the top level in the UK. While others believe Jezki & Our Conor will come on for the run. Hurricane Fly is the true champion and I personally think that if he shows up at Presbury Park then The New One, My Tent Or Yours, Jezki & Our Conor won't beat him. The Hurricane will unleash his force once again. He is a true champion and the best we may ever see. 

Sires Profile National Hunt: Imperial Monarch & Recital

Coolmore announced on Monday 23rd December 2013 that they will be adding two new exciting young sires to the national hunt scene. Imperial Monarch an unbeaten two-year-old and Group one winning three-year-old and Recital a Group one winning two-year-old. They will both take up stud duties at The Beeches Stud at a fee of €2,500 each.

Imperial Monarch (IRE

• 09 Bay Colt by Galileo x Ionian Sea (Slip Anchor)
• To Stud: The Beeches Stud
• Fee; €2,500

Imperial Monarch is a superbly bred & superior looking son of Galileo. He was unbeaten in one start as a two-year-old winning in a competitive maiden at The Curragh. He came back as a three-year-old winning the Group three Sandown classic trial in impressive fashion having lost a few lengths. Connections disappointingly swerved the derby and instead took him to France where he won the Group one Grand Prix De Paris beating Main Sequence who was second to Camelot in the Derby. Imperial Monarch didn't win again. He has breeding to make a huge impact in the breeding shed. His dam was a listed winner in France. Ionian Sea has since become a formidable broodmare. She is the dam of dual Group three winner Mount Athos, as well as The Great Gatsby who was second in the Derby. His full sister Roman Empress was third in the Yorkshire Oaks while another full brother Magritte was placed in the Racing Post Trophy. They are all by Sadler's Wells.  Ionian Sea is a half sister to jumps sire sensation Oscar. He was second in the French derby, his full brother Blue Stag was second in the Derby and is a sire in Brazil. They are out of dual Group three winner Snow Day. Imperial Monarch traces back to champion older horse Sakhee. At €2,500 he is a huge bargain sire
and I have full belief that he can make it as a stallion in the ever competive jumps sphere. 

Recital (FR)

• 09 Bay Coly by Montjeu x Dibenoise (Kenmare) 
• To Stud: The Beeches Stud
• Fee: €2,500

Recital was a Group one winning two-year-old winning the criterium saint cloud in France. As a three-year-old he added further black type by winning a moderate renewal of the Group three Derrinstown stud derby trial. He finished sixth to his paternal half brother Pour Moi in the Derby. Sold to connections in Qatar, he made little impact & will return to home soil to stand at stud. Recital has a very interesting pedigree. He is bred on the same Montjeu/Kenmare cross as seventeen times Grade one winner and dual champion hurdler Hurricane Fly. Recital also has a nice pedigree to back him up. He is a brother to Group one Prix Ganay winner  Corre Comino's. While his half siblings include multiple French Group winner Racinger.  The line traces back to French champion two-year-old filly Princesse Lida, who was also joint champion in Europe. 

First Season Sire Profile: Orfevre & Novellist

King George winner Novellist and dual Arc De Triomphe runner up Orfevre both head an exciting list of young sires retiring to Japan. Novellist is one of the first sons of Monsun to stand in Japan while Orfevre has some of the best Japanese bloodlines to offer. These are two young exciting sire prospects who will both take up stud duties at Shadai Stallion Station, Japans most influential and successful stallion farm.


Novellist (IRE)

• 09 Bay Colt by Monsun x Night Lagoon (Lagunas)
• To Stud: Shadai Stallion Station, Japan 

Novellist brings Japanese breeders some of the best German bloodlines to offer. Although he is listed as being an Irish bred horse he carries a strong German pedigree with a good reputation. Novellist is one of the first sire sons of his sire the late great Monsun to stand at stud in Japan. His dam Night Lagoon was champion two-year-old filly in Germany in 2003. She is a half sister to German Derby runner up Night Tango. Novellist remains her best produce to date. Nigh Lagoon has produced two other progeny by Monsun. They are Navajo Queen & Navajo Storm both were winners but neither came close in regards to ability to their younger star sibling. Novellist won four Group one's in total. He ran a brilliant race in the King George beating Irish Derby winner Treading Leather. He also won the Group one Grand Prix Saint Cloud in France. In his homeland of Germany he won the Group one Grosser Preis Von Baden and the Gran Premio Del Jockey club. He was also second in the German Derby. 

Orfevre (JPN)

• 08 Chesnut colt by Stay Gold x Oriental Art (Mejiro McQueen)
• To Stud: Shadai Stallion Station, Japan

Orfevre was a hugely popular horse in his native homeland. He emulated  Japanese sire sensation Deep Impact by winning the Japanese Triple Crown. Orfevre has also won the Grade one Arima Kinen twice in Japan. He was also second in the Japan Cup. Orfevre came to France where he won consecutive running's of the Group two Prix Foy. On each of these wins he became favorite for the Prix De L'Arc De Triomphe. He finished second in the race twice finding the late surge of Solemia too good in the 2012 Arc and this year he had beaten all bar the superb filly Treve. Orfevre is a brother to two time Grade one winner Dream Journey, who was also champion two-year-old colt and champion older horse in Japan. They are out of Oriental Art, a three time winner in Japan. She has become a superb broodmare. She has a yearling full brother to Orfevre and Dream Journey. 

Broodmare Focus: Moonlight Cloud

It was announced on the 8th December 2013 that multiple Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud was being retired from racing after a sixth placed finish in Hong Kong. The daughter of Irish National Stud stalwart stallion Invincible Spirit carried all before her this year winning a third 

consecutive Prix Maurice De Gheest and adding the Prix Jacques Les Marois and Prix Le Foret to her already impressive tally of wins. Moonlight Cloud is the only horse ever to get as close to Australian sensation Black Caviar when going down by a nose in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot in 2012. 

Moonlight Cloud is from a very successful female line. She is out of the listed placed mare Ventura. She has become a broodmare of considerable note. As well as producing Moonlight Cloud she is also the dam of  Cedar Mountain. A son of Galileo he is a dual stakes winner in America. Ventura has three other progeny  including Satin Box, a daughter of Manduro she was subsequently sold to Coolmore for E400,000 as a yearling in 2011. She has yet to make her debut and is currently in the care of David Wachman. Another foal is When In Doubt. This daughter of Montjeu was second beaten a neck in a two-year-old maiden recently in France. When In Doubt is trained by M Dezangles for Qatar Racing. This year saw the current progeny of Ventura go under the hammer when Oceanic Bloodstock had to part with E360,000 for a filly by first season sire Makfi. 

Moonlight Clouds second dam is multiple stakes winner Wedding Bouquet. She won Group 3 races in Ireland and America. Ventura was her best progeny to run, however her daughters have gone on to become notable broodmares. One of Wedding Bouquet's daughters apart from Ventura to have success in the paddocks in Wedding Morn. A daughter of the legemdary sire Sadler's Wells. She is the dam of Group 2 Railway stakes winner Probably, a son of Danehill Dancer he was subsequently sold to connections in Norway after his two-year-old campaign. His best effort there was when he won a Listed race in August of this year and he hasnt been able to capture the form he once showed in Ireland. Wedding Bouquets other daughters Liege and Maddelina, a sister to Wedding Morn are also blacktype producers. Liege a daughter of Night Shift is the dam of Listed winner Bruges. Liege is also the grand dam of Group winner Talwar. Maddelina meanwhile is the grand dam of Group 3 winner Hawaafez. 

The third dam Doff The Derby made significant impact in the breeding shed. She is the dam of dual derby winner and champion colt Generous. A son of Caerleon Generous wasn't a lucrative sire at stud, his best performer being Catella who was a stakes winner. Doff The Derby's dual classic heroine Imagine had a much better start to her life at stud. A daughter of Sadler's Wells, Imagine won the Irish guineas and epsom Oaks in a lucrative racing career. Her first foal was joint champion two-year-old colt Horatio Nelson. A son of champion sire Danehill, Horatio Nelson won the Prix jean Luc Lagadere in France and was desperately unlucky not to to keep his unbeaten record in tact when just touched off by subsequent derby winner Sir Percy in the Dewhurst. Horatio Nelson never regained his two-year-old form and after finishing unplaced in the 2000 guineas he sadly broke down when travelling well in the Epsom Derby and was subsequently euthanized. Imagine's two other racing progeny Viscount Nelson by Giant's Causeway and Kitty Matcham by Rock Of Gibralter earned their dam more blacktype success as a broodmare. Imagine's full sister Strawberry Roan who was classic placed is the grand dam of Cape Dollar who won the Group 2 Rockfel stakes. 

Moonlight Cloud is from a lucrative family and there is no reason why she cant become a blacktype producer. Her name is sure to appear in the pedigree of future champions. Now the attention is focused on what stallion will cover this superb miler. Moonlight Cloud's sire Invincible Spirit has an exciting future ahead as a broodmare sire and also a sire of sires. Daughters of Invincible Spirit have produced Group 3 winner Perfect Tribute as well as listed scorers Drive To Hell and Melbourne Memories. Interestingly Melbourne Memories is by Sleeping Indian, a horse who shared the same owner/breeder with Moonlight Cloud in George Strawbridge. 

There is one stallion that stands out for me as the potential match for Moonlight Cloud and that is Dubawi. He has already worked with mares by Invincible Spirit with Perfect Tribute being a product of the cross. He also has an excellent record with mares by Moonlight Clouds grand sire Green Desert.