SHE may not be unbeaten any more but Honeysuckle is again Ireland’s Horse of the Year.

The dual Champion Hurdle winner retained her title at this week’s HRI Awards, winning the vote in a poll which included Kyprios, State Of Rest, A Plus Tard, Allaho and Energumene.

Peter Molony, racing manager for the mare’s owner Kenny Alexander, reported Honeysuckle to be “fine” following her defeat at Fairyhouse.

“We’re all very proud of her and she will have another crack at the Irish Champion Hurdle in February,” he said.

National Hunt

Honeysuckle’s trainer Henry de Bromhead won the National Hunt Award. He is the first trainer to complete back-to-back Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup doubles since Hatton’s Grace and Cottage Rake won for Vincent O’Brien in 1949 and 1950.

He also saddled the one-two in the Gold Cup for the second successive year.

The trainer was represented at the awards by Robbie Power who suggested that the individual attention de Bromhead gives to his horses is one of the reasons for his success.

“He does not stop until he finds the root of the problem,” Power said.