Hurricane and Jezki set for Ryanair dual Hurricane Fly and Jezki face off for the sixth time at Leopardstown on Monday in a potentially thrilling clash for the Ryanair Hurdle. The concluding afternoon of the four-day Christmas Festival sees perhaps the most eagerly awaited event, with the score between the main protagonists standing at three to two in Hurricane Fly's favour. Most recently the pair contested the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, with Hurricane Fly rolling back the years to come out on top by two and a quarter lengths from the current Champion Hurdle hero. Trainer Willie Mullins has been upbeat in his recent assessments of his 10-year-old, who seeks an amazing 21st Grade One triumph and a fourth victory in this race. Mullins said: "No matter what Hurricane Fly is doing, it is going to be tough to repeat what he has done for the last few years. If you were a betting man you'd say he's not going to repeat it and that Faugheen is the one on the way up. "Hurricane Fly does his own thing on a morning as that seems to work well. He's in great shape and he loves Leopardstown. "Whether he runs in the Champion Hurdle or not, we'll just have to see. He has other options and we might just keep him back for Aintree. I still have it in my mind that he wasn't quite right at the end of last year." Ruby Walsh has been the man in the saddle on Hurricane Fly for 14 of those top-level wins. He wrote in his Paddy Power blog: "It's a funny thing about the Irish psyche - when a 20-time Grade One-winning champion suddenly becomes the underdog and wins again, he's hailed as a legend. "There's been plenty of knockers over the years, but I'll argue with anyone about how good Hurricane Fly has been. He turns 11 on New Year's Day and to still be competing at the top level is phenomenal after all he's achieved." Jezki has been beaten three times in his last five races by Hurricane Fly, including in this race 12 months ago and in the Morgiana last time. However, he did have Hurricane Fly back in fourth when enjoying his finest hour in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Connections of the Jessica Harrington-trained six-year-old are expecting another exciting, but tough, encounter. Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: "We're looking forward to it. Hurricane Fly is a great horse and is very good round Leopardstown. The ground looks ideal for him and he'll be very hard to beat. Jezki's in good form and it will be an exciting race." McManus is also represented by the Tom Mullins-trained Alderwood and Plinth from the Aidan O'Brien stable in a seven-strong field. "They will both be out of their class but hopefully will pick up some prize-money," said Berry. Mullins' second string, Arctic Fire, Gordon Elliott's Triumph Hurdle hero Tiger Roll and Pat Shanahan's King Of The Picts are the other runners.
