Hurricane Fly
Brilliant two mile hurdler at his best whose 10 Grade One victories include the last two runnings of this race. Boiled over in the preliminaries at Cheltenham and failed to defend that version of the Champion Hurdle but shouldn't have any difficult in completing his treble in this contest.
The Real Article
Touted as a live contender for top honours when impressing and progressing in the summer but has been found wanting in two runs in the top tier this winter. Shaped better than the form suggests last time but still has to prove himself in this company on ground that's more testing than he's previously encountered.
Thousand Stars
Versatile dual Grade One winner who acts on testing ground. Beaten 10 lengths behind Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown for January and by half that distance in last year's renewal of this race. In fact, he's been behind his stablemate on all six occasions that they've clashed.
Zaidpour
Expected to rank highly as a novice but fluffed his lines in the second half of last season. Started this season well but found the drop back in trip on quicker ground against him in Cheltenham's Champion Hurdle. These conditions should suit better but still expected to struggle against a peak form Hurricane Fly.
Quevega
Brilliant but rarely seen mare whose season has, for the third year running, been restricted to Thursday's World Series Hurdle and the David Nicholson Hurdle at Cheltenham. Brilliant in victory once again on Thursday but not expected to line-up here.
Summary
A disappointing turnout and only misfortune stands in the way of Hurricane Fly and a third successive success in this contest.
He's relatively advanced in years for a two mile hurdler and disappointed at Cheltenham but that run is easy to excuse and there's nothing of the requisite calibre to trouble him in this field.
Thousand Stars is the obvious one to chase him home and those looking to play the distant markets may be interested to know that the grey has only once got closer than four lengths to his stablemate in six meetings and was beaten 10 lengths in January.
Hurricane Fly's two most recent victories have come by five lengths and six and a half and somewhere in that region would look the bet again as he's unlikely to be asked to do any more than necessary.
