1111/1111/111-1111. Honeysuckle’s form under rules really is something to marvel at. Yet, despite now being 15 races unbeaten over hurdles, it somehow seems that she still has to prove her doubters wrong — including in the recent defence of her Champion Hurdle crown at the Cheltenham Festival, as many pundits and punters claimed she’d be beaten in the day one feature race.
But, once again, Henry de Bromhead’s prized mare won the championship contest with great aplomb — beating Eptante by a comfortable three and a half lengths after being shaken up and urged on two hurdles out by the fantastic Rachael Blackmore, who later became the first jockey since Sir AP McCoy in 1997 to win the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double at the same Festival.
It’s about time the ‘Queen of Knockneen’ got the respect she deserves, and with De Bromhead recently confirming that next season will be the stunning eight-year-old’s last on the circuit, let’s put all the debate about where she ranks amongst the best horses to one side for the time being and just enjoy her sheer greatness for one final campaign — which could made all the more entertaining as impressive Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Constitution Hill is set to make the set up to the hurdling division.
Honeysuckle is unlikely to be finished for the 2021-22 season just yet, with the defence of her Punchestown Champion Hurdle title still to come over in Ireland next month. But, what could her final season over hurdles look like for the soon-to-be nine-year-old? Read on as we take a look at some of her likely options…
Hatton’s Grace Hurdle – Fairyhouse
Honeysuckle has made her seasonal reappearance in the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle for the last two seasons in a row, beating Ronald Pump on both occasions. She won by just half a length in 2020, but the Matthew Smith-trained horse was no match for the eight-year-old back in November — with Honeysuckle romping home eight lengths clear.
It’s likely that De Bromhead will send his mare to Fairyhouse for the hat-trick attempt in the Hatton’s Grace and there’s no doubt that Honeysuckle will once again set off as the massive, odds-on favourite in the horse racing betting for the two-mile, four-furlong contest.
Irish Champion Hurdle – Leopardstown
Already a three-time winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle, winning the 2020 and 2021 renewals of the race before beating Gordon Elliott-trained Zanahiyr by over six lengths on her hat-trick attempt at Leopardstown back in February, Honeysuckle’s second outing of the season could see her return to the Dublin suburbs for a fourth crack at the two-mile race.
Hurricane Fly’s connections will be happy though, because with Honeysuckle retiring at the end of next season, she won’t be able to better the two-time Cheltenham Champion Hurdler’s record in the Grade 1, Leopardstown race!
Champion Hurdle – Cheltenham
This is where things are going to get interesting for Honeysuckle, De Bromhead and Blackmore, as a lot is being said about Supreme winner Constitution Hill after the performance the Nicky Henderson-trained horse put on in the Festival’s curtain-raiser recently — which was five seconds faster than Honeysuckle’s victory in the Champion Hurdle.
If Constitution Hill carries on that form out of the novices’ category next year, and Appreciate It can have a better season, then the Champion Hurdle could be the standout race at Cheltenham next year and there would be no guarantee that Honeysuckle would land her hat-trick at Prestbury Park — joining the likes of Persian War, See You Then and Istabraq on a record three victories.
Champion Hurdle – Punchestown
A fitting swansong for Honeysuckle, should the eight-year-old win this race at the Punchestown Festival next month, the final contest of her career could be for the hat-trick in this Grade 1 outing. However, more notably, if she is to win all the aforementioned races, then a victory here would see her set sail into the sunset with an amazing record — victory in all 20 of her hurdle attempts!
