Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THREE ‘N’ EASY
De Bromhead’s brilliant mare Honeysuckle at her very best as she wins the Hatton’s Grace for the third time in a row
THE remarkable Honeysuckle lived up to her superstar billing when landing a record-equalling third win in the Grade 1 Baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in Fairyhouse.
Henry de Bromhead’s mare, sent off at 2/5 and confidently handled by Rachael Blackmore (inset, top), outclassed her rivals in a race run at a fast pace, thanks to trail-blazing Stormy
Ireland, easing to the front three flights from home before asserting and, ultimately, having eight lengths to spare over last year’s runner-up Ronald Pump, with Abacadabras in third.
Honeysuckle received a huge reception from the thronged enclosures, having extended her unbeaten record to 13 races and having registered her ninth Grade 1 success.
And de Bromhead (inset, bottom) declared: “The mare and Rachael form a lethal combination. I got a bit of a fright here last year, so we had her plenty straight coming here today. And she was really psyched before the race.”
The trainer, who later completed a double with Gua Du Large (also ridden by Blackmore) in the Grade A handicap hurdle, admitted: “I had myself convinced all week that she’d get beaten today. But we’re just so lucky to have her.
“The reception she got was just unbelievable. And it’s great that Kenny (owner Kenny Alexander) and his family are here.”
And he confirmed: “The plan is the same as last season. So we’ll back off her for a few weeks and then get her ready for the Irish Champion Hurdle and then on to Cheltenham (she’s odds-on for a second Champion Hurdle win) and back to Punchestown.”
Blackmore added: “She’s phenomenal. And it’s so special that so many people are here to enjoy her.”
In the other Grade 1 action, Denis O’regan sparked a superb Sunday double (completed on Gordon Elliott’s Smoking Gun in the Porterstown) when bringing Noel Meade’s Gigginstownowned Beacon Edge from off the pace to outpoint front-runner Gabynako and Fury Road in the Drinmore. The three-mile Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting will be Beacon Edge’s next assignment.
Gavin Cromwell, trainer of runnerup Gabynako, came even closer to big-race success when 5/4 favourite My Mate Mozzie was pipped on the post by the Willie-mullins-trained Statuaire in the Grade 1 Royal Bond.
The six-year-old, whose targets include the Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and the Mares novice at Cheltenham, became only the second mare to win this event in 20 years and provided Danny Mullins with his third win in the race.