Hurricane Fly

Hurricane Fly — affectionately known as "The Fly" — was a small bay gelding with a white star and a heart that belied his modest frame. Foaled on 5 April 2004 and bred by Italy's Agricola Del Parco operation, he was a son of the great Montjeu out of the Kenmare mare Scandisk: bloodlines that promised class, and a career that delivered it beyond all expectation. His story began on the flat in France, where trainer Jean-Louis Pelletan pointed him toward racetracks as a two-year-old in 2006. He was a decent enough performer, winning two races including the listed Prix Omnium II at Saint-Cloud, but his destiny lay elsewhere. Late in 2007, owner George Creighton purchased him and transferred him to Willie Mullins at Closutton, County Carlow — one of the most consequential decisions in the history of National Hunt racing. Under Mullins and with jockey Ruby Walsh in the saddle for his greatest days, Hurricane Fly was transformed into a generational talent. He announced himself over hurdles with a 12-length demolition of his maiden hurdle field at Punchestown in May 2008, then took his first Grade One — the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse — just months later. From there, the record books were his to rewrite. He won the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle in 2011, then again in 2013, becoming the first horse in 38 years to regain the title. He won the Irish Champion Hurdle five consecutive times from 2011 to 2015, a feat of sustained excellence that left rivals searching for answers they never found. He was never beaten at Leopardstown — ten Grade One victories at the same track, an unbroken record that stands as one of jumping's most remarkable statistics. When he set the world record with his 22nd Grade One victory in 2013, the racing world paused to appreciate what it was witnessing. Willie Mullins's groom Gail Carlisle cared for him throughout his time at Closutton, and those who knew him well noted that a quiet Hurricane Fly was invariably an unwell one — his natural state was a restless, buzzing energy that never entirely left him even in old age. He retired in August 2015 at age eleven and spent his final years at the Irish National Stud in County Kildare, where he delighted in meeting the admirers who made the journey to see him. Hurricane Fly passed away on 22 September 2026, aged 22. He earned £1,894,422 in prize money, won 24 of his 32 starts over hurdles, and left behind a legacy that no ledger can fully contain. He was, as Ruby Walsh said simply, the best jumper of a hurdle he ever rode.