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Punchestown Champion Hurdle Betting: Hurricane Fly odds on to complete double

Friday's Punchestown Champion Hurdle looks to have the potential to be the highlight race of Punchestown Festival as winner of the Cheltenham equivalent, Hurricane Fly, is back to defend his crown and heads the betting. Paddy Power offer an industry best of 4/6 for Willie Mullins' 7-year-old to make it a famous double, although there is likely to be stiff competition from Menorah and Binocular for the Grade One two miler.

Hurricane Fly was last seen romping to victory in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle as the Irish stayer finally proved his credentials to the British public on his first outing on British soil. He travelled superbly to hold off Peddlers Cross and is now bidding for a Punchestown-Cheltenham Champion Hurdle double that has not been achieved since Hardy Eustace took both races in 2004.

The 7-year-old is also bidding to become the first horse to win the Punchestown Hurdle twice after the gelding's victory from Solwhit last year, a feat that has never been achieved since the race was revamped 12 years ago. Despite only one outright favourite winning the Punchestown Festival race in the past twelve renewals, Hurricane Fly looks to have every chance after going unbeaten in five races, a run that stretches back to November 2009.

The main opposition to the ante-post favourite is likely to come from the British pair of Menorah and Binocular, with Philip Hobbs' Menorah second favourite at 4/1 in the betting with Paddy Power. Five of the last nine British contenders in the race have gone on to win, although Menorah has plenty to find after finishing a disappointing fifth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, nine and a half lengths back from Hurricane Fly.

Hobbs has indicated his 6-year-old looks much better ahead of his Punchestown debut and it is well worth noting that the Cheltenham disappointment is the first time the gelding has finished outside of the top-two in nine hurdle appearances.

Nicky Henderson's Binocular didn't appear at Cheltenham after concerns over medication in the 2010 Champion Hurdle winner's system and the 7-year-old has plenty to prove. Henderson will be hoping his 7-year-old gelding can restore his reputation, particularly after finishing fourth to Oscar Whisky in last month's Aintree Hurdle. PaddyPower.com offer Binocular at a tempting 5/1 in the betting, and that could be worth a look if the Punchestown debutant can find his Christmas Hurdle winning form of earlier this season.

Away from the three standout names, Mullins lays claim to two further entries with Thousand Stars an industry best punt at 12/1. The 7-year-old has had an impressive season, finishing third in the Irish Champion Hurdle and following that up with a fourth in the Champion Hurdle, edging out Menorah in the process. And last time out he lost out by just a quarter of a length to Oscar Whisky in the Aintree Hurdle.

Willie Mullins's other entry, Blackstairmountain, was winner of last year's Champion Novice Hurdle to take his record to two top-two finishes in three at Punchestown and is priced 25/1 by Paddy Power. Edward O'Grady's Alaivan completes the field at the same price and the 5-year-old will look to improve on a disappointing sixth in the County Handicap Hurdle.

It is difficult to look beyond the three at the head of the betting though and Hurricane Fly looks well set to notch a Cheltenham-Punchestown Champion double and secure a second successive Punchestown title.

Punchestown Champion Hurdle Odds

4/6 Hurricane Fly
4/1 Menorah
5/1 Binocular
12/1 Thousand Stars
25/1 Blackstairmountain
25/1 Alaivan

Odds supplied by PaddyPower.com, bookmakers, who provide a variety of odds and betting markets for this week's Punchestown Festival.

Posted: Thursday, 5th May 2011
Author: Chris James
Tags: punchestown champion hurdle, hurricane fly, binocular, paddypower,

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