Hurricane Fly became just the second horse in history to regain the Champion Hurdle when the 2011 winner made it four wins from four starts this season as he trumped last year’s winner Rock On Ruby.
The 13-8 favourite came home two and a half lengths in front of Rock On Ruby, with a further length and three-quarters back to Countrywide Flame in third.
In doing so he took his career earnings passed £1.3 million and usurped Moscow Flyer as the highest earning Irish-trained jumps horse in history.
This was a 15th win at the highest level for the nine-year-old, who was completing a near 15-1 double on the card for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh following the success of Champagne Fever in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. He was also the third winner of the afternoon to have scored at the festival before.