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Honeysuckle set to win Champion for third time

THE brilliant Honeysuckle can further extend her winning sequence in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown afternoon.

The feature event on the second day of the Dublin Racing Festival has attracted just five runners and it will be a huge shock if Honeysuckle were to lose her unbeaten record.

Over the course of her 13 race career she has faced stiffer tasks than this and everything points to her landing this race for the third year in succession.

The Champion Hurdle heroine looked better than ever on her comeback in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse over two months ago where she trounced a useful field.

As she has done for the last two years she has gone straight from Fairyhouse to this race and on form and ratings she has everything covered.

The reliable Zanahiyr should be the one to chase her home following a couple of respectable efforts at Grade 1 level.

Today’s card also features another five runner Grade 1 in the

Ladbrokes Dublin

Chase where Chacun

Pour Soi (right) can get his season back on track.

The outstanding two mile chaser turned in a rare below par effort on his comeback in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in early December when finishing a well held fifth.

However, that run is easily forgiven as he is a brilliant chaser at his best and this course and distance bring out the best in him. It will be a huge surprise if he doesn’t get back on track for the season and deal with the English raider Greanateen.

Chacun Pour Soi’s trainer Willie Mullins could be the man to follow in the day’s other Grade 1 contests. He can also land the Ladbrokes Novice Chase with Galopin Des Champs who looked brilliant when scoring on his chasing debut here at Christmas.

That effort marked him out as a novice chaser of rare quality and he can see off a field that includes three last time out Grade 1 winners.

However, his biggest danger might actually be his stablemate Capodanno who was second to Bob Olinger in a Grade 3 at Punchestown last time.

Mullins is also expected to land the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle with Sir Gerhard.

The outstanding bumper horse of last season, this gelding made a bright start over hurdles when landing a maiden hurdle here at Christmas.

He should improve any amount from that showing and can see off the likes of Three Stripe Life and El Fabilolo.

In the Leopardstown Chase the unexposed novice Max Flamingo makes most appeal as he drops in class from Grade 1 company.

Gordon Elliott’s Glan makes most appeal in the opener following her second in a quality handicap at Fairyhouse two months ago.