and won by one and a quarter lengths from Peddlers Cross. After the race Walsh described the winner as a "deserved champion" and "a great horse". Hurricane Fly ended his season by beating Thousand Stars by five lengths in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle on 6 May. 2011/2012 season After a break of more than eight months, Hurricane Fly returned to the racecourse in January 2012 to contest the Irish Champion Hurdle. He started favourite at odds of 4/5 and won by six and a half lengths from Oscar's Well. In March he returned to Cheltenham to defend the Champion Hurdle and was made 4/6 favourite in a field of ten runners. 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. On his only other start of the season he won the Punchestown Champion Hurdle for the third time, beatind Zaidpour by two and a half lengths. 2012/2013 season Hurricane Fly began the 2012/2013 season by winning the Morgiana Hurdle in November by twelve lengths from Captain Cee Bee. On 29 December, the gelding won his thirteenth Grade One race when he won the December Festival Hurdle by seven lengths. Hurricane Fly won his third consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle on 27 January, beating Thousand Stars by five lengths with Binocular in third place. After the race, Mullins expressed the view that the gelding had returned to his best form. In the lead up to Cheltenham, it was clear that many pundits and bookies still doubted whether the 2011 champion could act on the track. Paddy Power gave a money-back special that if Hurricane Fly won, all losing bets would be refunded. A huge crowd travelled over from Ireland. On 12 March 2013 at Cheltenham, Hurricane Fly attempted to become the first horse since Comedy of Errors in 1975 to regain the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, he was backed from 9/4 in the morning into an SP of 13/8 favourite against eight opponents, including 2012 champion Rock On Ruby and 2010 champion Binocular. After going through a flat spot and appearing to struggle early in the race, Hurricane Fly tracked the front-running Rock On Ruby before coming back on the bridle coming around the home bend and taking the lead after the second-last hurdle. He