Dual Champion Hurdle winner in 2011 and 2013, the great Hurricane Fly passed away at the Irish National Stud, where he enjoyed retirement alongside fellow greats like Faugheen.

Trained by Willie Mullins, he secured a record 22 Grade 1 victories, including five straight Irish Champion Hurdles, and stayed unbeaten in 10 Leopardstown starts. Jockey Ruby Walsh called him the best hurdler he rode, praising his bravery and precision.

The son of Montjeu was one of the great two-mile hurdlers of modern times, winning so many of big hurdle races including the two Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

He won the Irish Champion a remarkable five successive times from 2011 to 2015, the Punchestown Champion from 2010 to 2013 inclusive plus four December Festival Hurdles at Leopardstown, three Morgiana Hurdles and the 2010 Hatton’s Grace.

He joined Willie Mullins from France and had his first success for Closutton at Punchestown in a maiden hurdle in May 2008.

He was also the first top class horse Paul Townend had a connection with when Ruby Walsh was off injured and they enjoyed a first Grade 1 success in the 2008 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

His last win was in the Grade 1 BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle in January 2015.

He was retired in August 2015 after a nine-year career to the Irish National Stud where he spent the rest of his life alongside Faugheen, Hardy Eustace and Beef Or Salmon.

Greatest horses

On the Sporting Life website, his trainer said: “He won a record-breaking 22 Grade 1 races, which was remarkable. He’s one of the greatest horses to ever come through our stable. He was a horse who loved a battle and was so brave. Ruby was able to stand back anywhere on him and he’d answer. He just put his rivals into trouble. He was such a proper horse.

“He was awesome, one of the biggest legends ever to come through Closutton.

“I want to say my personal thanks to Leona Harman at the National Stud who does such a wonderful job looking after the Living Legends who are retired there. My thoughts are with Gail Carlisle who was Hurricane Fly’s groom throughout his days with us at Closutton and had such a wonderful relationship with him.

“I was lucky enough to visit him today just before the end and met Gail who had popped over to see him as well as she’d heard the news. It was very poignant and we were able to say our goodbyes.

"It's especially poignant following so shortly after the passing of his co-owner Frank Boyd and I'm thinking of his family and George Creighton's family too at this time. Hurricane Fly provided us all with so many wonderful days and memories."

Ruby Walsh added of his former partner: “Hurricane Fly was a brilliant racehorse but was without doubt the best jumper of a hurdle I ever rode. He was incredible, his accuracy, his bravery, the speed at which he could move his feet. He was bombproof, you could ride him down to hurdles like they weren’t there because he was going to do the right thing every time.

Hurricane Fly and a young Paul Townend being led in at Leopardstown in 2010 \ Caroline Norris