BEST OF THE REST
HENRY DE BROMHEAD HONEYSUCKLE
Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle Tuesday (4.10) UNBEATEN in seven starts for Rachael Blackmore, gaining first Grade 1 win in two-and-a-half-mile mares’ novice hurdle at Fairyhouse in April.
Beat male opposition for the top-level Hatton’s Grace Hurdle over the same course and distance in December before overcoming
Arkle Chase Tuesday (2.10) WON just once from six attempts over hurdles but has proved significantly better over fences and is now unbeaten in four starts.
Followed victories at Punchestown in October and November with defeat of Fakir D’Oudairies in two-mile Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas and, having proved a handful going to the start, followed up in the Arkle Novice Chase over the same course and distance at the Dublin Racing Festival.
All last year, when he was hurdling, you’d have said, ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing him over fences.’
He seems to love it, which is a big help, and it has improved him no end. He hasn’t put a foot wrong this season and he really toughed it out at Leopardstown — he only seems to do enough.
He was psyched up to get going, he was really strong on the way to the start, but I think those two-milers need to be half-cracked to do what they do! They need that bit of madness!
I backed off ours quite a bit after Christmas and a lot of them ran quite fresh. I hope it was that but we’ll use earplugs just to get him to the start to avoid a repeat of it.
Sizing Europe was very slick over his fences as a novice and Notebook is similar to him.
Statistics often make the highest-rated hurdler the horse to follow in the Arkle — but that may not be the case this time around. ODDS: 11-4 indifferent jumps at the last two flights for a game success in the Irish Champion Hurdle over two miles at Leopardstown last month.
We learned about her tenacity at Leopardstown — she had never been asked that strong a question and she had to dig deep.
She missed the second-last and then she did a funny jump at the last — Rachael (Blackmore) just thought she was a bit lonely — and let them come back at her again.
It was her first run in top-class company over that shorter trip on decent ground, and I thought she was really tough.
She is the most wonderful mare who has not put a foot wrong — she is brilliant — and she’s in mighty form.
Another for whom it must have been tempting to have a crack at an open Champion Hurdle — at least her clash with Benie Des Dieux is a race to savour. ODDS: 9-4
Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup Friday (3.30) RUNNER-UP to the powerful Defi Du Seuil in Marsh Novices’ Chase last March but looked a different horse upped to three miles and a furlong when going one better in Aintree’s Mildmay Novices’ Chase.
Landed the odds at Carlisle on his reappearance before putting up personal best to land Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock from dual winner Bristol De Mai, but in trouble at an early stage when pulled up behind Clan Des Obeaux in King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
There was nothing wrong with him visibly after Kempton. The palate was flapping and it was cauterised, but you never know — he might have had a harder race at Haydock than we thought.
But he’s doing well at the moment and he’ll go to Cheltenham nice and fresh.
He travelled beautifully, he jumped immaculate, he looked like a thorough stayer at Haydock, and he’s got the pace for two miles.
I don’t think we’ve had another one jump better than this one — he’s just a lovely horse.
Looked every inch a Gold Cup winner of the future when scoring at Haydock, which made his King George flop all the more of a concern.
By no means impossible this test will see him in his best light yet, but has a question to answer, all the same. ODDS: 13-2
Ryanair Chase Thursday (2.50) LAUGHED at his handicap mark (of 144) in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase 12 months ago with a 16-length win before being upped in class.
Back to winning form, after defeats at Punchestown (Champion Novice Chase, April) and Navan (Fortria Chase, November) with three-andthree-quarter-length margin over the returning Chacun Pour Soi — a Champion Chase fancy — in a two-mile, one-furlong Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas.
He did us proud last season and has definitely improved since last year. He’s really