Honeysuckle to bid for Hatton’s Grace hat-trick

Alan Magee
October 3, 2021 9:30 am

Minella Indo heading for Down Royal as De Bromhead identifies early targets.

Honeysuckle is set to make her return to action with a hat-trick bid in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle next month.

The unbeaten Henry de Bromhead-trained mare has won the last two runnings of the Grade One contest at Fairyhouse.

In a season to remember last term, the seven-year-old was part of history at the Cheltenham Festival as she won the Champion Hurdle in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Honeysuckle with Rachael Blackmore at Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)

Outlining his plans for Honeysuckle and a host of his other stable stars, including Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, De Bromhead said: “All the horses are back in now and seem in good form.

“Honeysuckle will go to the Hatton’s Grace. Minella Indo will hopefully go to Down Royal (Ladbrokes Champion Chase), that’s the plan at the moment. A Plus Tard will go to Haydock (Betfair Chase), because he seems to prefer going left-handed.

“Envoi Allen will go to Down Royal for the second-season novices – a course and distance he won over last year.

“Bob Olinger is going over fences and he seems good. Quilixios will probably go for the hurdle in Down Royal.”

Minella Times was a famous winner of the Grand National (David Davies/Jockey Club)

The County Waterford handler has yet to fine-tune a campaign for his Grand National hero Minella Times, who gave Blackmore a ground-breaking Aintree triumph in April.

He said: “We haven’t made any plans yet for Minella Times. I still have to speak with connections. He’s obviously fairly highly rated now, so we’ll see.”