Yeh it weren't a great era, but Istabraq would have smashed Peddlers Cross who as it turns out was no better than those he did smash, HF had to work bloody hard to beat him.
Over in Ireland I would say they would be a close match, but at Cheltenham I would have Istabraq way ahead.

Guess so, but it would be good to back up your arguments with at least a fact or two.

Agreed. Istabraq proved his greatness at Cheltenham. The Fly has proved his greatness because of Cheltenham. In other words he proved his greatness despite never truly enjoying something about the experience be it travelling, the course, the ground or a combination of all three. I have little doubt that with both horses in their prime Istabraq would have won at Cheltenham on goodish ground.

Buddeliea, I wouldnt doubt that Istabraq would have won four Champions. But beating Theatreworld world twice, admittedly with ease doesn't compare in my book to the two that HF has won.
Incidentally, where HF is concerned, do not this week's performances by Solwhit and Thousand Stars emphasise yet again what a star he is? Both have been thrashed regularly by him, yet the former hoses home in a grade 1 and the latter puts it up to the horse many feel is the next Champion elect. Yes, Solwhit and Thousand Stars may be better over more than 2 miles, but they are class horses and, for that matter, HF may be better over further himself.

Yes, his races at Cheltenham have been strange. In the first, he jumped and travelled as well as ever, but, having looked like winning at his leisure, had to be driven right out. I remember being disappointed at the time. Then, last year, he was under pressure such a long way from home and, though sticking to it well, never looked himself. I don't, personally, blame the jockey as others have; he never seemed to travel, and maybe his trainer's comments that he was never happy with him that season are more relevant. And then, this year, he looks in awful trouble, neck outstretched and seemingly struggling to go the pace at half way, before coming right back onto the bridle before the home turn but then not going away again as had seemed likely. I do think, though, as Ruby admitted, that he was so relieved to be back in the race, that he hit the front miles too soon, and we might well have seen a more consummate performance had he held on to him longer.
It could be that the travelling gets to him, but I'd agree he does not seem the same horse away from home, where his record is all but flawless. I doubt its the quicker ground as he has excelled on good ground on occasions back home. However, that, to me, adds to his greatness, in that he's still won two well contested Champions, the last being, in my view, as good as any in depth for quite a while.

Agree with all you say, except that, in Ireland, he's virtually never come off the bit and has hammered some very good horses time and again, while at Cheltenham life has been a lot harder for him, even if you ignore 2012. I'd never have expected Peddlers to run him so close nor, for that matter, Rock on Ruby.
You say he's the best since Istabraq, I say he's the best since Sea Pigeon. And there may well be much more to come. Yes, the ones you list don't compare and, yes again, you have to judge horses on their careers. Don't think Desert Orchid would be in any pantheon if his Cheltenham runs were what he was judged on.

When I say much more to come, I don't mean he'll improve, I mean he may not have stopped winning grade ones yet. No sign of a dimming of the light IMO, and he's been near unbeatable at Punchestown, so his extraordinary record could well be enhanced.
Think you may have underestimated Peddlers in that particular Champion. He was unbeaten that season, superb the season before, and while that race seems to have completely finished him off, he was very strongly fancied for it, and had Oscar Whisky and Thousand Stars well beaten that day. While I admired Rooster, not sure he beat a lot of strength in depth, while I can't have Binocular as anything but a weak Champion who has never put it up to HF when they've met. As for Hardy, yes, a Cheltenham legend and a great hurdler, but much more ground dependent than HF and I'd personally rank him lower, even at Cheltenham.

Oh and CV,meant to say how good it is to see us disagreeing as per normal

Wish you luck at Punchestown my old friend,i'm sure you will be there cheering on the Fly.
Hope you have a good one.

Love hurricane fly and think he's the best 2 mile hurdle we have seen in a long time, but with another summer on my tent or yours back and once hendo has taught the horse to settle (pulled all the way to the 2nd last in this years supreme). This horse will be untouchable next season. Just saying like, it's a bridge to far for HF next season :(

Right now, it would have to be MTOY's for me, he will be lethal off a suicidal pace that gets everything else off the bridal, I actually think he would have won the CH this year with the way that race panned out

He does have a hole in him though perhaps, with the question mark against him when he comes up against something that still has something to offer after the last, but his great great strength I think is that he could cruise through a race that is being run at a ridiculous pace with ease and not have to fight anything off after the last, they must make sure next year that there is something in there to do what ROR did this year.

Remember Ted Walsh saying before the Supreme, "I've had a few Desrt Prince's and there's no way he'll get up the hill". Well, of course, he did get up the hill to an extent, but it was a Harchibald type scenario and, whatever he does before next year's Champion, no-one will know just how he'll see the race out. A flat track bully he may turn out to be, although, as McCoy noted after Aintree, he is strongly built and you couldn't rule out him strengthening up. However, at the current price, he doesn't appeal to me.

The difference between him and harchi is that for me he could travel off of a far stronger pace than harchi without coming off the bridal, that's what I'm saying, a suicidal pace to which we never ever see so as to destroy everything else before the run-in....it's possible, because ROR did it this year, HF didn't quicken or anything as grand as that, he just stayed on past knackered horses....basically IMO when we talk about horses that travel well off a strong pace I think that in MTOY'S we are going to see a horse that takes that whole concept to another level...we'll see.

I know what you're saying but it was all about the pace set and the type of horse he is.

I'd be inclined to think the opposite. The early pace was slow in the Supreme and they finished quickly. Ideal for MTOY in my view, but he was outbattled. I suspect the Champion, where the mid race pace was ferocious, would have softened him up much earlier and he's have shot his bolt before the last. Don't forget that the pace in the Betfair, where he looked so good, was a very modest one. He's yet to prove he can do it at the end of a strongly run race.

Sky Our Connor beat a bunch of trees. A big step up to win a champion next March.

i know it beat trees thats not the horse's fault.Its the way it beat the trees in a grade 1 race.