KENNY Alexander may be a breeder now but it is racing that gets the blood flowing first, and watching good horses continue to perform at the highest level that excites him foremost, particularly when the jockey on board is wearing his light blue and white silks.

So it was that on receipt of a congratulatory text from this writer after Honeysuckle’s resounding Champion Hurdle triumph at Cheltenham last March, followed by a plea from the heart, couched in playfulness, not to be shipping the mare off to his stud farm in Ayr just yet, the reply was instant, and definitive.

No chance, we keep marching on.

Honeysuckle would be more valuable now as a broodmare than a racehorse but while Alexander is sentimental towards her, and a once-considered chasing career will never now materialise, the indication that the eight-year-old is at least as good as she was last season, if not better, is why she continues to be allowed enjoy herself and bid to cement her place in the annals. In the process, the Sulamani galloper is providing racing fans, quite apart from connections, with a treasure trove of warm memories.

Alexander shelled out €110,000 for Honeysuckle at the Goffs Punchestown Sale in 2018, four days after her 15-length romp over Annie Mc at Dromahane for handler Jerry Cosgrave and jockey Mark O’Hare, the latter having bought the British-bred bay for just €9,500 the previous June. Four years later and she has yet to see a rival’s rump.

She provided Alexander with a thrilling first Cheltenham success in the 2020 Mares’ Hurdle when accounting for Benie Des Dieux, with another Alexander distaff Elfile back in third. His tally now stands at three, as Telmesomethinggirl also got on the scoreboard last year in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle and is a live contender to emulate her Henry de Bromhead stablemate in the Mares’ Hurdle again next month. The daughter of Stowaway will fly a little more under the radar though. All antennae are tuned in on Honey.

Equine darling

Anyone thinking the pressure is off given all that has been achieved by the equine darling of Irish National Hunt racing, would be mistaken.

“I was at Fairyhouse and I think that was the most pressure,” says Alexander. “I used to look at some of these owners that owned horses like Kauto Star. (Clive Smith would say), ‘I was terrified,’ and, ‘I’ve never been so nervous before a race,’ and I used to think, ‘What? What are you getting so worried about? It’s going to win, it’s won so many races.’ But now I understand, as it goes on, it’s a good nervousness. It’s more like excitement. If you didn’t get really excited or nervous when you are watching a third Hatton’s Grace… I still get excited watching some of the other ones. If you don’t get excited just pack it in, what’s the point of it?

“At the end of the day she has done it. If she didn’t win another race ever again, it’s still an amazing journey, all those great wins, but as time goes on, there’s still pressure, there’s still excitement.”

All the news from Knockeen had been positive ahead of her attempt to join Bowe family trailblazers Limestone Lad and Solerina, and Apple’s Jade, as triple Hatton’s Grace victors. She had gotten stronger and was working well.

“The first race you never know if they are going to come back the same. They could just come back and they are not the horse they were before. The signs and signals, the messages we were getting were all positive, but you never really know until she hits the track if she fancies it anymore.

“There was a genuine concern about the ground and whether she was going to pull out at one point. We went for it, we were right to go for it. And I thought that was probably one of her most impressive performances. Certainly one of her most impressive performances on her (seasonal) debut. She made some very good horses in behind her look pretty ordinary, and I don’t think they are that ordinary. She possibly is getting even better. She will be now getting to the point where she is at her peak this year.”

The ovation as Honeysuckle cantered to the line in Fairyhouse, and into the parade ring afterwards, will live long in the memory.

Phenomenal

“I was quite touched, as were all of my family and friends. I brought my wife, lots of family and friends over for the first time really, because of work commitments or Covid. All of the people who came from my side that were there said it was one of the best days that they have had for a long, long time, it was phenomenal. And the reception was phenomenal. I went out to walk around the track, just after she won. Two people at the reception got up and suddenly all of the people just clapped me. It was quite touching.

“You hear about it, how popular she is. And you hear about how people over in Ireland, how passionate they are about their racing, particularly National Hunt. I sort of believed it that day, first-hand. It was a hell of a day.”

Kenny and family had another unforgettable day at Leopardstown on February 6th, when Honeysuckle justified odds of 1/5 to win the Irish Champion Hurdle for a third time. It capped off a great weekend for the owner, as Scotland had beaten England in the rugby the day before.

Whisking her away to the breeding shed never entered his thoughts. He enjoys producing stock but it isn’t what got the blood flowing when his father brought him to Ayr for the first time as a 13-year-old.

“I do think once they retire that is it. The racing for me is still what gives me (the buzz). As I said so many times, I doubt I will have ever have one as good. As long as she is in this sort of form… Jesus, I think you’ve just got to kick on and enjoy it and make the most of it. They’re a long time retired. This is much more fun than selling one of her foals. Have I thought of retiring her at this stage? No.”

And chasing?

“I must admit, after she won the mares’ race, which I still think was one of her best ever performances, I remember saying afterwards, ‘right, let’s get cracking and really give it a go,’ only because I had been told that she would be a better chaser than she would be a hurdler. That is what I have heard since day one, since we bought her. After (the Mares’ Hurdle), the noises were that she was good enough to certainly have a very good chance of winning a Champion Hurdle… Then once she’s won it, there was never any debate about going chasing… for a whole host of reasons.

“One, she should probably try to retain the crown the Champions Hurdle, three Hatton Graces, Irish Champion Hurdles. Two, I think it would be nice, barring injuries and everything else, that Rachael (Blackmore) rode her in all of her races. (In a Gold Cup) there would be A Plus Tard or Minella Indo or Bob Olinger and she’ll want to be on the one with the best chance.

Danger

“And then, you do increase the danger. I’m not frightened… but you are increasing the danger… I’m sure she would be perfect but if anything did happen... So she’ll just stick with the hurdles. She’s that age now where it’s not gonnae happen. I just said it recently to someone, she will never go over a fence now, that’s it. We will keep going with the hurdles until she doesn’t fancy it anymore, and then she will be retired as a superstar no matter what does between then and now.”

Covid-19 restrictions meant that he was at home with the family last March, with the champagne popping.

“It would have been nice to be there but we had a great time. At the end of the day it’s a Champion Hurdle, it’s the sort of thing you dream about. We had a great day even though we weren’t there. Her three most impressive performances; Benie Des Dieux (in the Mares’ Hurdle), that Champion Hurdle, I think the Irish Champion Hurdle last year, was pretty phenomenal.

“She won, and then of course Telmesomethinggirl. I actually fancied my other one in that race more (Gauloise). And I wasn’t actually even looking at Telmesomethinggirl until the other one put the brakes on and started going backwards. (So then it was) sort of, keep an eye on the red cap. She won very, very impressively. I think she is actually very underrated. I think she is proper.”

A staying-on third-place finish under a penalty behind Royal Kahala and Heaven Help Us at Leopardstown at Christmas gives her a big shout of level weights at Cheltenham but she may well be flying under the radar.

There is no doubt that the decision to get involved primarily in Ireland has paid off, as it has for so many British-based owners. Interestingly, he doesn’t view prize money as anywhere near the main factor. It certainly isn’t for him.

“You don’t buy with a view you are going to make any money. It’s your passion, you are going to enjoy them. But at the same time, some (British-based) trainers are saying they are winning races and getting the same prize money as they got 10, 20 years ago. I’m sure I’m no different from anyone else, the higher the prize money the more horses you can afford to have in training. You’re only gonnae burn X amount of cash.

“(But) I don’t think, if somebody is paying 250 grand for a winning point-to-pointer, they are gonnae go to Ireland instead of England because a maiden hurdle is 10 grand at Tramore and five grand at Uttoxeter. I don’t think that is necessarily the case. That’s not to say the prize money in both of those places shouldn’t be bigger… they have obviously got a massive problem over here (in Britain). But does that person decide, ‘I want to win that 10 grand’? I don’t think that comes into it at all.

Big stage

“The people who are spending that money are going to Ireland because essentially, what they want is Grade 1 success, Cheltenham success, Punchestown success, Aintree success, Dublin Festival success, whatever it might be. They want to win on the big stage and they go to Ireland because they think they are going to get more success. That’s why they go and that is why these people are buying these horses.

“It’s a snowball effect. If you have got 250 grand to burn right now and you have been watching the racing and you want to have a crack at that; you are probably quite a clever person, you’ve worked hard, done well for yourself… They will want success. They will say, ‘where is my best chance?’

“Last year at Cheltenham, it was 23-5 (Irish- to British-trained winners). If they see that and they just read the chitter chatter, ‘I must give my 250 grand to Henry or Gordon (Elliott) or Willie (Mullins),’ because, whether it’s right or wrong, it becomes a snowball effect and it’s very hard to reverse. While they have the most success, they have the best horses.

“I’d have them trained in bloody Norway if I thought there was more chance of success.”

Battle-hardened

Neither does he believe that the British-based horses are suffering from being less battle-hardened, pointing to the multiple Gold Cup successes of Best Mate and Al Boum Photo.

Indeed he has horses trained closer to home, with Nicky Henderson responsible for the highly talented Doddiethegreat. An injury that at one stage threatened his life has ruled the six-year-old son of Fame And Glory out for the season but signs are more promising about a return to the track to augment an unblemished record from three outings so far.

He was named after legendary Scottish rugby player Doddie Weir, who is fighting motor neuron’s disease and has raised millions through the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to fund research, improve the lives of those suffering from MND and provide support to their families.

Alexander had pledged any prize money won by Doddiethegreat to the foundation and would have loved a chunk of Cheltenham change to go that way, while also providing a welcome profile boost. Maybe next year.

The vast majority are in Ireland though. Apart from the aforementioned pair, he has, among others, Grade 3 winner Minella Melody with de Bromhead, while Mullins trains multiple listed victor Gauloise and dual bumper winner Belle Metal.

But in the words of Connor McLeod from the Clan McLeod in Scottish-themed film The Highlander: “There can only be one.” And if that isn’t strictly true in racing terms, there can only be one champion, and the likelihood is that one will stand far above the rest of whatever Kenny Alexander owns in the future.

And her name is Honeysuckle. ?

Factfile

Honeysuckle

8yo b m ( 1/1111/1111/111-111)

Sulamani - First Royal

Owner: Kenneth Alexander

Trainer: Henry de Bromhead

Breeder: Dr G. W. Guy