Rock On Ruby gave trainer Paul Nicholls his first ever Champion Hurdle success under jockey Noel Fehily.

Paul Nicholls made history today as he has now won all the major races at the Cheltenham Festival after Rock On ruby spoiled the party under Noel Fehily.

Nicholls was represented by four runners in the ten runner field which saw last year’s winner Hurricane Fly only manage to finish third.

Noel Fehily was always on the heels of long-time leader Overturn before kicking for home turning into the straight in the two mile championship event.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding held a clear lead between the final two flights but Overturn, Hurricane Fly and Binocular briefly threatened to challenge.

Winning jockey Noel Fehily said after the race at the official press conference “I’ve missed the last two Festivals but today more than made up for it. You think winning a race like this is never going to happen to you.  Paul asked me to ride a couple of weeks ago and spare mounts don’t come much better than this. It’s difficult to get on good horses and you need to do that to win the good races.”

“I was always confident he’d get to Overturn, I just wanted him to lead for as long as possible and he stayed on really well up the hill in front. He’s a good though horse and I was just praying that Ruby Walsh was not sitting quietly on my tail, as he does.”

Winning trainer Paul Nicholls was recording his first ever success in the Champion Hurdle and said “It’s just testament to the whole team. It’s a really tremendous effort and everyone is going to be thrilled. This horse is a seven-year-old, he’s the right age, and it’s brilliant. It was a great ride by Noel. He’s a good man and has got a great winner. This is awesome. I didn’t like the way Zarkandar looked in the paddock. He was a bit shelly and a bit light.”

“Assistant trainer Harry Fry, who effectively looks after the training of Rock On Ruby in Nicholls’ satellite yard, said: “I’m speechless. This is what you dream of. It’s great to be part of the team. With Richard (Barber) and Paul, you wouldn’t ask for better. They’ve given me the chance and the opportunity. We wanted to win. We didn’t come here to finish second best. We were here to win and he’s come and done it. I didn’t think he’d win that well. It’s a brilliant day.”

Rock On Ruby now is currently  4/1 to retain the title in 2013.

Liam Glynn

Last years Champion Hurdle winner Hurricane Fly will face nine rivals and bid to record back to back Champion Hurdles on Tuesday which was last done by Hardy Eustace in 2004 and 2005.

Hurricane Fly is set to face nine rivals in Tuesday’s Stan James Champion Hurdle with his stable mate and French Champion Hurdle winner Thousand Stars a notable absentee.

Mullins has left in Zaidpour who has beaten the mare Voler La Vedette this season whilst he plans on running Thousand Stars in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on Thursday.

Hurricane Fly was last seen winning the Irish Champion Hurdle in tremendous style at Leopardstown in January on his long awaited season debut and trainer Willie Mullins believes he is an even better horse this year.

Champion Irish trainer Mullins who is short priced to be champion trainer at the Cheltenham 2012 Festival said today “He’s a very special horse – we’ve known that since the beginning and his record of ten Grade 1 wins speaks for itself. All has gone really well with him since his win in the Irish Champion Hurdle.”

Speaking in his regular Racing Post Sunday column today, Mullins confirmed the details of most of his runners and was quoted saying  the following about his stable super star “His work and his schooling has been very good and we’re all looking forward to seeing him attempt to defend his crown. The ground is going to be safe and he is all set.”

Paul Nicholls who is yet to win the Champion Hurdle is represented by four runners.  Greatwood Hurdle winner Brampour, Celestial Halo, Rock On Ruby and last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkandar heads the Ditcheat trainer’s strong challenge.

Jessica Harrington also holds a strong chance with Oscars Well who was an unfortunate fourth in last year’s Neptune Novice Hurdle and followed Hurricane Fly home in the Irish Champion Hurdle.

Sabrina Harty’s Kalann,  2010 winner Binocular and Donald McCain’s 2010 Galway hurdle and 2011 Chester Cup winner Overturn make up the ten runner field for Tuesday’s show piece.

Liam Glynn

Quevega bids for a 4th Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival whilst trainer Willie Mullins is very please with Boston Bob.

Willie Mullins gave the final workouts to some of his Cheltenham bound horses at The Curragh earlier this week and he was extremely delighted with Boston Bob.

His mare Quevega and Champion Hurdle favourite Hurricane Fly worked alongside Boston Bob over a mile and a half and they all jumped a few hurdles.

Speaking to GoRacing.ie Willie Mullins said “”I am very happy with how they went. They all worked well and all they jumped very well, particularly Boston Bob, his jumping was immaculate, he just looks a real natural.” He added: “It’s a matter of keeping them sound from now until Cheltenham.”

Boston Bob is owned by Andrea and Graham Wiley and his form was boosted confidently yesterday when the Dessie Hughes trained Lyreen Legend won the Grade Two Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles. Boston Bob had previously beaten Lyreen Legend by two and a quarter lengths in the Grade Two Synergy Energy Solutions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in January.

Boston Bob holds entries in the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle on Ladies Day as well as the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle on Gold Cup day.

Mullins other hopeful Quevega remains the red hot favourite to win the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle for the fourth year in a row whilst Hurricane Fly is red hot favourite to retain the Champion hurdle on the opening day of the 2012 Cheltenham Festival.

Liam Glynn

Nicky Henderson has Binocular in excellent form ahead of the Champion Hurdle whilst his superstar Sprinter Sacre will have no problem with the Cheltenham hill.

Nicky Henderson revealed today that Binocular was on course to challenge Hurricane Fly for the Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Binocular won the Champion Hurdle in 2010 was unable to try retain his title last year as he still had antibiotics in his system for an allergy he has suffered.

Binocular was disappointing at the start of the season but has showed his true form recently after winning the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton earlier this month.

Henderson was dealt a blow last week when Grandouet was ruled out of the race following a leg operation and Spirit Son was ruled out earlier in January.

Speaking at his media open day today at the Seven Barrows Stables, Henderson said “Hurricane Fly came out on top of the pile by quite a long way last year and I’d like a phalanx of horses to run against him but we’re down to one.”

“At least he seems to come in there probably as well as when he won the Champion Hurdle. He looks really well; he just looks like a good racehorse.”

Although Binocular is now an eight year old, The JP McManus owned son of Enrique will be primed for the Champion Hurdle in less than two weeks time. Binocular is best priced at 5/1 for the Champion Hurdle.

Henderson also spoke about Sprinter Sacre today and said “I know people say he’s a flat track horse who won’t come up the hill, but I don’t subscribe to that. I don’t usually pay much attention to race times but all three runs have been exceptionally quick, yet he has finished hard on the bridle every time.”

Henderson also has high hopes for Oscar Whisky who will take on Big Bucks in the World Hurdle and claims the distance is no problem. He said “We appreciate Big Buck’s is close on unbeatable, but it might happen one day. Oscar will be ridden as if he has that ‘gear’ and you can take it that we’ll not be making the running! He’s bred to stay.”

Liam Glynn

Jessica Harrington holds very strong chances at the Cheltenham Festival with Oscars Well, Steps To Freedom and Citizenship

Jessica Harrington today confirmed that she is very happy with her runners that are heading to the Cheltenham Festival in less than 2 weeks.

Oscars Well takes his chance in the Champion Hurdle and today Jessica reported that he was in fine form and was ready to take on Hurricane Fly. Oscars Well was last seen finishing six and a half lengths second to Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. The Moone trainer is quite confident as he was very unlucky at the festival last year when making a bad mistake at the last in the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle and eventually finishing fourth.

Steps To Freedom is currently heading the betting for the opening Supreme Novice Hurdle and worked very well today at the Curragh in a schooling session. Steps to Freedom won last time out when winning the Grade Two Opus Energy Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last November by a neck.

Jessica Harrington confirmed via her Twitter account today “Steps To Freedom schooled around 12 hurdles at the Curragh this morning.” “He was very good and all is on track for Cheltenham.”

She tweeted the following about Oscars Well “Oscars Well galloped today and was very good. Both are on course for Cheltenham.”

Harrington also holds a chance with Citizenship who was an impressive winner of the BoyleSports Hurdle (Formerly the MCR Hurdle) at Leopardstown in January and is on course for a €100,000 bonus if he can win at the festival.

The six year old son of Beat Hollow holds entries in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle and the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle.

Citizenship is best priced at 14/1 for the County Hurdle whilst Oscars Well remain in around the 12/1 mark for the Champion Hurdle.

 Liam Glynn

Nicky Henderson's Grandouet will miss the Champion Hurdle but his stable mate Binocular still remains on course.

After having an operation on his leg, Nicky Henderson today ruled his horse Grandouet out of the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

The five year old will not recover in time for the Stan James Champion Hurdle on March 13th after having surgery on his hind fetlock joint on Tuesday night.

Speaking to the Racing Post today, Henderson said “We’ve had a long discussion with the vets and his owner, Simon Munir. The horse has made further progress this morning, but we feel it is unrealistic to expect him to be able to work this weekend. This would undoubtedly be a very interrupted preparation, so we have decided that in everybody’s interest it is better to decide now that he will not run in the Champion Hurdle.”

Grandouet was a late withdrawal from the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Thursday night having hurt himself in his box at Henderson’s stables.  This was Henderson’s second blow for the Champion Hurdle as Spirit Son was ruled out in January as well.

Henderson remains confident about his other star Binocular who won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on Saturday and missed last year’s Champion hurdle due to banned substances in his system but remains on course to defy Hurricane Fly from back to back wins.

Henderson also said “You can’t go into a race of this calibre with such an interrupted preparation. It’s only fair to the horse, the owner and the betting public that we make this unwelcome decision. I think it’s best to make this decision now and all grey is taken out of the situation. As to whether he will run again this season, we will see. He’s an out-and-out two-miler so therefore Aintree isn’t a realistic option, but we will discuss that at a later date. Three weeks ago we were sitting on Grandouet, Spirit Son and Binocular, and three have suddenly become one.”

Binocular is currently best priced at 11/2 and remains on course to bring back the trophy he won in 2010 to the Seven Barrows Stables.

Liam Glynn

Nicky Henderson's Grandouet will have a leg operation tonight to help fix the injury he picked up in his box last Thursday.

Connections of Grandouet will hopefully find out more on Wednesday whether he will be able to take part in next month’s Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Grandouet will undergo surgery on his near-hind leg tonight. Owner Simon Munir confirmed that Grandouet will be operated on having sustained an injury in his box on Thursday night before Friday’s declaration stage which ruled him out of last Saturday’s Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.

Grandouet’s stable mate Binocular ran in the Kingwell Hurdle instead although he was meant to head straight to the Cheltenham Festival. In the end Binocular was eased down by champion jockey Tony McCoy to record a six length victory in last Saturday’s race.

Grandouet remains in around an 8/1 shot for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on the opening day of the festival with Hurricane Fly remaining the red hot favourite.

Trained by Nicky Henderson Grandouet was last seen winning the Stan James International Hurdle at Cheltenham last December where he beat the Donald McCain trained Overturn by four lengths.

Liam Glynn

Nicky Henderson had a good day at the office with Binocular and Riverside Theatre winning and both are now Cheltenham bound.

Nicky Henderson enjoyed a good day at the office today as two of his Cheltenham prospects both destroyed their rivals.

Firstly despite drifting, Binocular who was meant to go straight to the Cheltenham Festival but connections decided late in the week to run him in the Kingwell Hurdle romped home at Wincanton with his nearest rival celestial Halo only managing to finish a poor second six lengths adrift of the winner.

Henderson’s Riverside Theatre was making his first start for the season and aiming for back to back wins in the Betfair Ascot Chase and despite the Paul Nicholls trained Kauto Stone setting a fast run pace, Riverside Theatre was always tanking along in mid division and eventually kicked on to record a three length victory over the Alan King trained Medermit. Kauto Stone finished a tailed off seventh.

Riverside Theatre is owned by actor Jimmy Nesbitt and now has his sights on the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Jimmy Nesbitt who was the star of the ITV show Cold Feet said “He’s been away for a year and I’m thrilled because that was a real race. He jumped beautifully; he travelled and responded really well.”

Winning jockey Barry Geraghty who yesterday won on Henderson’s Sprinter Sacre said “It’s a top-class training performance to come back from 12 months off. He did it the hard way – we were in front and I thought for a second he might struggle, and I was trying to fill him up. But he winged the last, he was very good.”

Trainer Alan King also plans to run Medermit at the Cheltenham Festival but doesn’t know what race he will run in yet. Speaking after the race King said “He’s run a marvellous race and was just beaten by a better horse. He keeps battling and stays all day. He’ll go for the Ryanair or Gold Cup. I’ve not decided which, but he’ll run in one.”

Liam Glynn

Paul Townend combined with Zaidpour to take the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park in tremendous style today

The Willie Mullins trained  Zaidpour has proved that he likes it around Gowran Park as he recorded his second win this year at the track.

Zaidpour had previously beaten the talented mare Voler La Vedette in the Grade Two John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle on Thyestes Day back in January and today he raised his game as he cruised to success in the Grade Two Red Mills Trial Hurdle under Paul Townend.

Paul Townend had tracked the leaders most of the way around but took over half way and Rich Ricci’s gelding had things in control from the second last, as his rivals started to flounder, and eased to an unextended six-and-a-half length verdict.

Sabrina Harty’s Kalann and Henry de Bromhead’s Darwins Fox battled it out for second place with Harty’s Kalann eventually edging Darwins Fox out for the second place by four and a half lengths.

Despite dropping back in trip from three mile to two mile today, it was the fourth win of the season for Zaidpour having recorded wins at Navan, Thurles and two at today’s county Kilkenny track.

Willie Mullins said after the race “That was straight forward enough. He jumped well and showed lots of speed,” said Mullins. He did it well and if I could find another nice race like that I would.”

Zaidpour will probably head to the Cheltenham Festival but the question is to know what race he will run in as he holds entries in the World Hurdle and may even take on his stable mate Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle.

Zaidpour is in around a 33/1 chance for the Champion Hurdle and has been cut into 12/1 with most firms for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Liam Glynn

Willie Mullins thinks that Hurricane Fly is even better than last year as he bids to retain the Champion Hurdle.

Willie Mullins reported today that Hurricane Fly is in top form ahead of him trying to retain his Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival next month.

Despite a delayed seasonal appearance in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, Hurricane Fly had no problems and tore his rivals to shreds beating Jessica Harrington’s Oscars Well by six and a half lengths.

Willie Mullins is very pleased with the eight year old son of Montjeu ever since and today he said “He’s in great form, and is just doing a little light work but no strong canters. There is no stiffness or soreness at all. We couldn’t be happier with him.”

Willie Mullins also believes that Hurricane Fly is even better than he was last year and it is no wonder that bookmakers have made him odds on at this stage.

It is very hard to know what could actually challenge Hurricane Fly as he seems to have an accelerator that just speeds up so fast.

Mullins also said today that he is not worried about the “Bounce” factor as there is loads of time between his last run and the Champion Hurdle.

Speaking at Clonmel, Mullins spoke very upbeat about his superstar and said “He seems a different type of horse this year, a lot more settled. Normally it takes two people to lead him around the parade ring but he was very quiet at Leopardstown. The handicapper felt that he was right up to his best at Leopardstown and, with normal improvement, I’m hoping he could be even better at Cheltenham.”

It may look like Hurricane Fly may be our next equine superstar and it is going to take one hell of a horse to spoil the party at Cheltenham.

Liam Glynn