Hurricane Fly (foaled 5 April 2004) is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his performances in hurdle races when under the care of trainer Willie Mullins at Closutton in County Carlow in Ireland.
He is a dual winner of the Champion Hurdle and previously held the world record for most Grade 1 (or Group 1) races won by any racehorse until overtaken by Winx in 2019.
Hurricane Fly is a small[6] bay horse with a white star bred in Ireland by the Italian Agricola Del Parco.
In late 2007 the horse was sold to George Creighton and was transferred to the stable of Willie Mullins at Bagenalstown, County Carlow in Ireland to be trained for a National Hunt career.
He won a race at Punchestown Racecourse in May and then returned to France to win the GradeThree Gras Savoye Prix de Longchamp Hurdle at Auteuil.
He was held up in the early stages and made steady progress in the last half mile, but was unable to reach the leaders and finished third behind Rock On Ruby and Overturn.
Hurricane Fly won his third consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle on 27 January, beating Thousand Stars by five lengths with Binocular in third place.
[16][17] On 26 April, Hurricane Fly ended his season by winning his 16th grade one race, equalling legendary chaser Kauto Star and American flat champion John Henry.
Starting the 4/7 favourite, he took the lead approaching the last hurdle and fought back after being headed to win by one and a half lengths from Our Conor with Captain Cee Bee third and Jezki the last of four.
With most punters expecting Jessica Harrington's horse to uphold the form from the spring, Jezki was the well backed 8/13 favourite to defeat Hurricane Fly for the third time in succession.
Jezki made a slight mistake jumping the final hurdle and Hurricane Fly, who was travelling much better than the favourite, pounced upon the leader and under a powerful ride from Walsh sprinted past the younger horse to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Starting the 11/10 favourite he took a narrow lead approaching the last and drew away in the closing stages to win by three and a half lengths from Arctic Fire, with Jezki in third.
On 10 March 2015, Hurricane Fly attempted to win his third Champion Hurdle in five years and started the 8/1 fourth choice in the betting behind Faugheen, The New One and Jezki.
He was in touch with the leaders for most of the race and made a forward move approaching the final hurdle but was outpaced on the run-in and finished third behind Faugheen and Arctic Fire, beaten six and a half lengths by the winner.
In June he returned to France for the first time in seven years to contest the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil over 5100 metres and was made favourite against fourteen opponents on very soft ground.