Honeysuckle had to dig deep to preserve her unbeaten record with a gutsy victory in the Grade 1 PCI Irish Champion Hurdle on Day one of the Dublin Racing Festival.
Sent off as the clear pick of the market as a well-supported odds-on favourite, the six-year-old tracked her stable companion, and fellow point-to-point graduate, Petit Mouchoir throughout, whilst racing keenly in the early stages.
Travelling strongly entering the home straight, Rachael Blackmore sent her to the front before the last, however she was headed by Petit Mouchoir after that final flight, ensuring she faced a real battle up the Leopardstown run in.
Gaining the upper hand in the battle of the ex-Irish Pointers, she once again forged her way to the front, and had enough up her sleeve to fend off the staying on Darver Star to win the €200,000 contest by half-a-length.
A third Grade 1 victory for Honeysuckle, it extends her unbeaten run to eight straight victories, a sequence that stretches back to a 15-length success in a Dromahane four-year-old maiden for Mark O’Hare and Jerry Cosgrave in April 2018.
“She just looked like she got a bit lonely going to the last. She's so tough and the lady on top of her is so tough. She really battled it out,” said de Bromhead.
“All credit to Petit Mouchoir and Davy Russell, he ran a brilliant race again and Gavin's horse looked very good.
“All credit to Petit Mouchoir and Davy Russell, he ran a brilliant race again and Gavin's horse looked very good.
“I had my heart in my mouth coming to the line. She probably needed it and our two went at it fairly early.
“Talk about adapting to two miles, she seemed brilliant. I thought she jumped well to be fair, maybe at the second Patrick jumped past her.
“At the second last I'm not sure if Rachael sat on her and Davy go a good jump or if she makes a mistake. I think she was just lonely in front at the last.”
Having become the fourth mare to win the Irish Champion Hurdle, following on from Dawn Run, Like A Butterfly and Apples Jade, Henry de Bromhead’s charge is now top priced 6/1 for the Cheltenham equivalent.
