Cheltenham: Unbeaten Honeysuckle tries to repeat in Champion Hurdle

The first time Honeysuckle was sent from Ireland to Cheltenham Racecourse in England, she won the Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle in March 2020 to remain unbeaten in eight starts.

Last March, Honeysuckle extended her undefeated streak to 11 races with a win in the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle at two miles at Cheltenham, the most prestigious hurdle race of the track’s four-day National Hunt festival.

Tuesday, Honeysuckle will be an odds-on favorite to become the first mare to win two runnings of the $586,200 Champion Hurdle. A win would stretch her unbeaten record to 15 races.

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An 8-year-old, Honeysuckle is trained by Henry de Bromhead and will be ridden by popular Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore, who led all riders at the 2020 Cheltenham festival, winning six races.

Blackmore was the first woman rider to win the title, but did so before empty stands because of the pandemic. A massive crowd is expected this year, which could exceed more than 265,000 for the four-day season from Tuesday through Friday.

Honeysuckle, a British-bred mare by Sulamani, has started three times since the 2020 Champion Hurdle, all in Ireland. She won the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last April, the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in November, and the Irish Champion Hurdle for the third time at Leopardstown on Feb. 6.

Blackmore, who has been aboard for all 15 wins, tends to keep Honeysuckle off the pace until the last half-mile. Honeysuckle has won her last five starts by at least 2 1/4 lengths.

The Champion Hurdle drew a field of 10, including Epatante, who won the race in 2020 for British trainer Nicky Henderson. The biggest threat to Honeysuckle is Appreciate It, who is unbeaten in four starts over hurdles but has not raced since this time last year when he won the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at two miles at Cheltenham. Appreciate It is trained by Irishman Willie Mullins, the all-time winningest trainer at the Cheltenham festival

The Champion Hurdle is one of four Grade 1 races on a seven-race program at Cheltenham that begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern or 6:30 a.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Irish-based horses dominated Cheltenham in 2020, winning 23 of the 28 races, and are expected to do the same this week although maybe not to that extent.

Tuesday’s first race – the $175,800 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at two miles – may go to Britain’s Constitution Hill, although Dysart Dynamo of Ireland is held in high regard.

Edwardstone, winner of his last four, will be favored in the $227,900 Arkle Chase for two-mile novice chasers for British trainer Alan King. Riviere D’etel, trained in Ireland by Gordon Elliott, is another to respect.

Blackmore and de Bromhead have the favorite in the $156,300 Mares’ Hurdle at 2 7/16 miles with Telmesomethinggirl who will be challenged by the Elliott-trained Queens Brook in a field of 12.