Chanelle Pharma Irish

Champion Hurdle (Grade 1)

ON a day when the hand of history rested on her shoulders, Honeysuckle did what she has been doing all her life as she vanquished her opponents to again highlight her overwhelming superiority in the two-mile division by landing this contest for the third year in succession.

In victory Henry de Bromhead’s mare surpassed the long-time standing record of the great of the early 1970s, Bula, by winning her first 14 races over hurdles and she also joined Istabraq and Hurricane Fly as the only horses to have won more than two editions of this race. Racing’s first ladies – the mare and her ever present partner Rachael Blackmore – returned to one of those memorable spring afternoon welcomes at Leopardstown.

Odds of 1/5 suggested that victory was little more than a formality for Honeysuckle. Inevitably thoughts were turning to next month’s Cheltenham Champion Hurdle but a real sense of occasion accompanied this latest success as Honeysuckle, befitting her stature as one of the modern greats National Hunt racing, was cheered to the start and received a tremendous ovation on her return as the attendees scrambled to take up every available vantage point around the parade ring.

Opponents

Such is Honeysuckle’s pre-eminence in this sphere that only four horses deigned to take on Kenny Alexander’s amazing mare and there wasn’t the semblance of an anxious moment for Honeysuckle.

As expected, Heaven Help Us cut out the running from Zanahiyr who made an uncharacteristic blunder at the first, but otherwise the race was without incident as Honeysuckle looked on from third.

On the run to the second last it was clear that Heaven Help Us was about to lose the lead as Zanahiyr and Honeysuckle improved on her outer and in just a stride or two the race was over. Honeysuckle pinged two out to take over in front to an appreciative roar from the crowd.

Champion

As befits a true champion, the eight-year-old daughter of Sulamani seamlessly moved through the gears to shoot clear rounding the last bend and it was just a question by this stage as to what the margin of victory would come in at.

Honeysuckle came to the final flight in splendid isolation and a safe jump there set her up to finish six and a half lengths clear of Zanahiyr, with Echoes In Rain a further half a length back in third.

“That was brilliant, as ever both her and Rachael were amazing. She looked great, jumped well throughout if going maybe a little left at one flight, she then winged the second last and just took off,” reflected de Bromhead.

“It felt a long straight after the last but she was brilliant, Rachael was brilliant on her and I’m delighted with her. The atmosphere today has just been amazing – it’s great to have everyone back racing,” reflected de Bromhead.

“The race went well for her and Rachael kept it simple. All of her wins mean plenty but she did a lot when there were no crowds around so it’s lovely to see the crowd appreciating her and giving her and Rachael the reception that they did.

Amazing

“I came here hoping we’d get from A to B and come home safely and she’s done that. She’s an amazing mare with an amazing jockey and the pair of them are just lethal.

“It’s straight to Cheltenham now and hopefully everything goes well between now and then,” added the trainer.