Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HONEYSUCKLE STILL COMING UP ROSES
HONEYSUCKLE defended her unbeaten record with a stirring Irish Champion Hurdle triumph as Rachael Blackmore stole the show on the opening day of Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival.
Blackmore’s earlier success aboard Notebook in the Arkle Novice Chase gave the 29-yearold jockey, and boss Henry de Bromhead, victory in two of the four Grade 1 events.
The six-year-old mare went off the 8/11 favourite to make it seven wins from seven starts as she contested a top-level race over two miles for the first time.
But Honeysuckle had to fight tooth and nail to subdue stablemate Petit Mouchoir before containing 20/1 Darver Star by half a length to earn a quote of 7/2 joint-favourite for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 10.
Blackmore said: “She’s got a massive heart and a massive will to do it.
“I can’t fault her – she’s done everything I’ve asked her to.”
De Bromhead, who has always maintained the less prestigious Mares’ Hurdle to be Honeysuckle’s
Cheltenham target, said: “She’s shown she has a lot of pace.
“I need to sit back and digest it all – and make plans after that.” Notebook’s three-quartersaid length margin over Cash Back saw him cut to 5/2 market leader for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.
And the seven-year-old’s trainer remarked: “You saw his jumping out there – he’s a dream.”
Willie Mullins saddled a one-two in the Grade 1 Dublin Chase as Chacun Pour Soi led home Min, who had won the first two runnings of the two-miler.
“Chacun Pour Soi looks the horse of the future – his jumping was electric,” Ireland’s champion trainer of the winner, now 5/2 second favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
Paul Nolan and Bryan Cooper were back in the limelight as Latest Exhibition warmed up for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival by winning the Novice Hurdle race. » OLLY MURPHY saddled the first Grade 1 winner of his goingplaces career when Itchy Feet beat Midnight Shadow for Sandown Park’s Betway Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.