SUCKLE WILL NOT BUCKLE A Champion success for Blackmore
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 jockey, 29, and boss Henry de Bromhead victory in two of the day’s four Grade One 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 test over two miles for the first time.
But she had to fight tooth and nail to subdue stablemate Petit Mouchoir before containing the fast-finishing 20-1 shot Darver Star by half a length.
It has earned a quote of 7-2 joint-favourite for the Champion
Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 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.
“She really had to battle today. Petit Mouchoir ran an incredible race and really put it up to her as did Darver Star at the end.”
De Bromhead, who has always maintained the less prestigious Mares’ Hurdle is Honeysuckle’s Cheltenham target, said:
“She has shown she has a lot of pace.
“I now need to sit back and digest it all and make plans after that.”
Notebook recorded a dogged three-quarter-length margin over Cash Back which saw him cut to 5-2 market leader for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham and seven-year-old’s trainer said: “You saw his jumping out there – he’s a dream.” Willie Mullins saddled the first two in the Grade One Dublin Chase as
Chacun Pour Soi led home Min, who had won the first two runnings of the two-miler. “Chacun Pour Soi’s jumping was electric,” said Ireland’s champion trainer of the winner, now 5-2 second favourite for Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Paul Nolan and Bryan Cooper were back in the Grade One limelight as Latest Exhibition warmed up for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the National Hunt Festival with a strong-staying score in the Nathaniel Lacy & Ptnrs Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Novice Hurdle.