Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore© Photo Healy Racing
The money was down in a big way on Honeysuckle (9/10 from 5/4 on track and much bigger earlier) and she delivered in style in the Grade 1 BARONERACING.COM Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
Owner Kenny Alexander has made his fortune in the gambling industry and the market was spot on regarding his daughter of Sulamani, on her second outing outside novice company.
Like Royal Bond hero Envoi Allen earlier, point-to-point graduate Honeysuckle now remains unbeaten after seven appearances in public.
Here under Rachael Blackmore Honeysuckle tracked the leaders, and she was closer in second three out.
Henry de Bromhead’s charge disputed the lead travelling well entering the straight.
She led approaching two out and soon ridden clear the odds-on favourite stayed on well on the run-in to comfortably beat Bacardys by nine lengths.
Going for four-in-a-row here, Apple’s Jade ended up four lengths back in third.
“She was brilliant and even I could enjoy it a bit. I couldn’t believe it when Rachael took a pull on her turning in considering the calibre of race she was in," said de Bromhead.
“She pinged the second last and as Rachael said they always seem to get the last wrong but she got out over it and really powered to the line.
“She’s a very professional mare and Rachael gets on really well with her. This is why we are all in it for a special mare like her.
“She loves it here at Fairyhouse and we better go and find out now if she can go left-handed.
“She’s entered over two miles and three at Leopardstown but I’m not sure if she will go there. The mares hurdle at Cheltenham will obviously be very high on her agenda and we might wait and give her a prep run before that.
“She’s grown and developed over the summer and is still only five. She jumps a fence lovely in loose schooling but at the moment we are just taking one race at a time.”
For the Mares Hurdle Paddy Power & Betfair are 6/4 fav (from 4/1) about Honeysuckle.
Boylesports go 2/1 from 9/2 for the Mares, and 14s from 33s for the Champion.
Owing to the low trajectory of the Sun, the Stewards granted permission for hurdle number 5 to be omitted from this race.
(AM & EM)
