Bookmakers have installed the 2011 Stan James Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly as the odds-on 4/5 market leader for the forthcoming Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 29 despite the Willie Mullins-trained star having yet to be seen on a racecourse this season, writes Elliot Slater.

There have been a number of ‘false dawns’ already this term with the brilliant two-mile hurdler having been expected to run in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and then the Istabraq Hurdle at Leopardstown’s feature Christmas Festival, but each time Mullins was unhappy with the wellbeing of his stable star and has preferred to take his time and ensure that when he eventually does return to action, Hurricane Fly will appear at the peak of his powers. Those looking ahead to the 2012 Cheltenham festival should remember this.

A recent racecourse gallop has gone a long way to reassuring the horse’s many fans that he is indeed close to making a belated seasonal bow and bookmakers have responded by taking no chances in pricing him up at odds-on. The eight-year-old son of Montjeu went through last term unbeaten, rattling up a hattrick of successes in his native Ireland (all against the unfortunate Solwhit), before lowering the colours of Peddlers Cross to land the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in tremendous fashion. He went on to follow up at Punchestown in May in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle beating stable companion and subsequent French Champion hurdle winner Thousand Stars with plenty to spare. People looking at the Betfair Champion chase betting should bear this in mind.

Amongst the possible opponents for Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle are the fast improving Dermot Weld-trained mare Unaccompanied, fellow Irish stars Voler La Vedette and Thousand Stars, former champion hurdler Binocular and his Nicky Henderson-trained stable companion Spirit Son, and Zarkandar, last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner, who like Spirit Son has yet to be seen in competitive action this season.

Reigning champion hurdler Hurricane Fly, absent from the racetrack since scoring at Punchestown in May, could next be seen in a racecourse gallop before his trainer Willie Mullins decides if he is fit enough to return to competitive action, writes Elliot Slater.

The winner of all five outings last season highlighted by a brilliant success in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last March when getting the better of the previously unbeaten Peddlers Cross, the son of Montjeu ended his campaign with another big win when slamming high-class stable companion Thousands Stars (subsequent winner of the French Champion Hurdle in June), by six-lengths in the Grade 1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Generally on offer at 7/4 in the 2012 Champion Hurdle betting during the summer break and early autumn, Hurricane Fly’s absence for a variety of reasons has seen his odds drift out to 5/2, with big race sponsors Stan James now looking to ‘get’ Mullins’ star by offering a standout 11/4 for him to retain his crown in a couple of months time.

The markets have been made increasingly uneasy by Mullins’ refusal to give a full explanation as to what it is that is preventing the winner of 13 of his 23 starts from being seen in public, the champion Irish trainer only being willing to offer words to the effect that the horse just hasn’t quite been showing his usual sparkle. Those following the Cheltenham 2012 betting should bear this in mind.

Quite rightly Mullins is unwilling to risk such a star performer if he is not fully fit, but he suggested in a New Year’s Day newspaper article that he expects a racecourse gallop in the near future should bring the horse on enough for him to have at least one outing before heading back to Cheltenham on March 13.