Races
PART ONE | THIS TIME TWO WEEKS AGO: Watch as Honeysuckle reigns Queen of the two-mile hurdlers at the Cheltenham Festival
Honeysuckle maintained her unbeaten record with a second Cheltenham Festival win in the Champion Hurdle two weeks ago
Times flies – and it’s been two entire weeks since the Cheltenham Festival begun. 14 days ago, the talk was all about one horse: Honeysuckle.
As the virtual roar greeted us from our sofas for the start of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the anticipation on day one steered towards the feature race, the Champion Hurdle.
Billed as a battle of the top 3, Honeysuckle headed the market over last year’s winner Epatante and Goshen, who was in receipt of 7lbs to both of the superstar mares.
But as much of the week turned out, Ireland would dominate the affair as Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore landed the first major blow of the Festival.
Honeysuckle eased into a nice rhythm as the early pace setters set an expected strong gallop, with Goshen nearly veering off the course before the chancers reached the top of the hill.
Strong fancy Abacadbras fell early and defending champion Epatante was not too prominent, leaving the door open for the daughter of Sulamani to quicken clear up the hill and reward her loyal band of supporters.
She scooted up the hill on the old course for the second time in as many season’s and was simply too speedy a rival as the remainder of the field toiled in her wake.
Once again, Sharjah would pick up the silver medal and finish second.
So what next for this outstanding seven-year-old?
Handler de Bromhead confirmed that he was ‘leaning towards’ a trip to Punchestown – a track his stable-star has never run at to date.
“Honeysuckle certainly appears to be going from strength to strength and was brilliant in Cheltenham, so it would be great to be able to go to Punchestown for the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle, all being well,” he told Sky Sports.
“She seems good, really well and we’re delighted with her. We’ll just let her settle back in and just start tipping away with her again.
“We’ll just have to see and get a feel for her over the coming weeks and she’ll tell us how she is.”
