Honeysuckle seeking perfect Festival swansong

PA Sport Reporters
March 20, 2023 7:33 am

Dual Champion Hurdle victor will bow out after Mares’ Hurdle run.

There will surely be no more popular winner at this year’s Cheltenham Festival than Honeysuckle if she can go out in a blaze of glory in Tuesday’s Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

It is three years since Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare saw off Benie Des Dieux in a barnstorming renewal of the Grade One contest and she has since returned to the Cotswolds to claim back-to-back victories in the Champion Hurdle.

But after an unbeaten run of 16 races, Honeysuckle suffered her first defeat when only third in her bid for a fourth Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse in December – and having since proved no match for State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle, she goes back against her own sex for what will be her swansong.

Honeysuckle at Cheltenham on Monday morning (David Davies/PA)

Peter Molony, racing manager for owner Kenny Alexander, said: “I wish it wasn’t raining quite so much, but we’re looking forward to it.

“She seems very happy to be back at Cheltenham – she loves the place.

“Henry always has her at her peak at Cheltenham – he’s a master at that – and I have every confidence that he’ll have done the same this year.”

While Honeysuckle clearly holds outstanding claims her task is far from straightforward, with old foe Epatante – winner of the 2020 Champion Hurdle and placed behind Honeysuckle in each of the past two years – and her stablemate and defending champion Marie’s Rock chief among her rivals.

“It’s a phenomenal race. Ruby Walsh said last week he could imagine five or six mares coming round the bend together and so could I,” Molony added.

“It’s as deep a race as there is all week, but hopefully Honeysuckle will be there coming round the home bend and from there may the best mare win and she comes home safely, that’s the main thing.

“It would be a fairytale for her to win at Cheltenham again. She owes us nothing, but we are greedy!”

The two biggest threats to Honeysuckle appear to hail from Nicky Henderson’s yard, with last year’s winner Marie’s Rock joined by top-class stablemate Epatante.

There was a lot of talk that Marie’s Rock could this year step up in trip to take on the boys in the Stayers’ Hurdle later in the week, but connections ultimately decided to let her defend her crown.

Marie's Rock and Nico de Boinville after winning last year's Mares' Hurdle — Marie’s Rock and Nico de Boinville after winning last year’s Mares’ Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

Tom Palin, racing manager to owners Middleham Park Racing, said: “You might not get a fair reading of if she truly does see out three miles in soft ground, so that’s why we’ve gone for what some might regard as the safe option, or what some people might call the sensible option.

“She’s a defending champion and there’s been a lot made about whether champions should defend their crowns and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

“We’re going back there and I think it looks the race of the meeting.”

Epatante won the Champion Hurdle three years ago and has been placed behind Honeysuckle in each of the past two seasons.

The JP McManus-owned mare was blown away by esteemed stablemate Constitution Hill on a couple of occasions earlier this term, but she enjoyed a confidence-boosting success at Doncaster at the end of January and has been supplemented to renew rivalry with Honeysuckle on the opening day of the Festival.

She is some mare! Epatante is different class in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle for @NdeBoinville and @sevenbarrows at @DoncasterRaces 😍 pic.twitter.com/nsSuMIpoQY
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 28, 2023

Henderson told Unibet: “Apart from bumping into a certain Constitution Hill twice this season, she has been pretty much exemplary in everything else and we have always really wanted to run here, rather than the Champion Hurdle, because she has an excellent chance against her own sex and I must admit she has been in fantastic form at home.

“We know she gets the trip well and handles soft, so has plenty in her favour and on ratings there is absolutely nothing between her and Marie’s Rock.”

The Seven Barrows handler has a third string to his bow and a second supplemented runner in impressive Warwick winner Theatre Glory.

He added: “She has been a grand mare for her owners Canter Banter Racing and was very impressive at Warwick last time, which was why the decision was made to supplement for this rather than run in the Coral Cup.

“She has to improve a little and wouldn’t want the ground too soft, but she deserves to take her chance and I really hope she runs a nice race and gives everyone a great day out.”

Gordon Elliott fields Queens Brook (David Davies/PA)

Willie Mullins saddles Brandy Love, Echoes In Rain and Shewearsitwell in his bid for a 10th Mares’ Hurdle success, while Gordon Elliott is represented by last year’s runner-up Queens Brook.

“She was very good the last day. If Honeysuckle was in the Champion Hurdle I’d be a bit more confident going for the mares’ race, but she’s never been as well,” said the Cullentra handler.

“Last year she had a terrible preparation and finished second. She’s a good mare and the more ease in the ground, the better chance she’ll have.”

Last season’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle winner Love Envoi, trained by Harry Fry, completes the stellar field.