Istabraq Festival Hurdle 2012

2.00 Leopardstown

Istabraq Festival Hurdle (grade 1) (Class 1)  (4YO plus)

Winner €55,250

Captain Cee Bee: Not quite the beast of old (Supreme Novices Hurdle winner, Grade 1 winner over fences as novice before reverting) but has shown spark in recent runs and Grade 2 win as good as he’s been in older years; Beaten 12 lenghts by Hurricane Fly in Morgiana Hurdle.

Hurricane Fly: Lost his title of Champion Hurdler at Cheltenham and felt slightly laboured at Punchestown afterwards but easy to forget he’s been beaten just twice in last three seasons and is still the outstanding choice here; Sure to be given a race when ill-fated Go Native sadly fell at the last in Morgiana; Not sure today will tell us much more about him.

Thousand Stars: Remarkably consistent horse who won his third Grade 1 when winning French Champion Hurdle at Auteil (that having come after his close Aintree Hurdle second two runs previously, along with convincing trial win) but miles below that when fourth on return at Tipperary (might have needed run); Also beaten by Unaccompanied in this last year (for all that he reversed that form with ease in Irish Champion in Jan); Place chance at best.

Tilabay: Impossible to fancy.

Unaccompanied: Game and gutsy winner of this a year ago when overturning Thousand Stars, although way below that form when fourth in Irish Champion a month later; Flat form bodes well for this first start of this season and should give a game account of herself here even if not able to cope with Hurricane Fly.

VERDICT: The fall of the sadly demised Go Native denied us of an opportunity to see what form HURRCIANE FLY is in this season, but he shouldn't need to be at his best to beat Unaccompanied and Thousand Stars, who can fight it out for second.