Unbeaten Honeysuckle delights de Bromhead Connections will have been delighted with exciting mare Honeysuckle's seasonal debut in the www.fairyhouse.ie Hurdle. The daughter of Sulamani carried a mark of 150 into battle and wasn't extended in maintaining her unbeaten record. She raced off the pace set by front-running Le Hachette before smoothly taking much closer order before the fourth last. Rachael Blackmore steered her into the lead before the next as Easy Game tracked them. Honeysuckle readily asserted before the last, though, and eased home by 11 lengths to justify 3/10 favouritism. Easy Game could make no impression in second at 6/1. Henry de Bromhead said: “I'm delighted with that. I was a bit nervous beforehand, I have to say. “Rachael was really happy with her and we couldn't have asked her to do any more. “She said she was grand on the ground, she said it was tough out there. “I'm delighted to get it for Kenny Alexander and it's just nice to have her back, and start her season off well. “We need to sit down and discuss thing now. She's in the Hatton's Grace so we'll see. “It's a bit frustrating because the two mares races we have are both for horses that haven't won Grade 1s. “The one at Punchestown next week is understandable, that's a Listed race, and then the Grade 3 at Christmas is for mares that haven't won a Grade 1 so she's quite limited in mares races between now and Christmas. “She's in the Hatton's Grace and then we'll look at Christmas as well but I haven't really discussed anything yet. “I don't think we'd go across the water unless the lads want to.” Last season Honeysuckle went four for four including at Listed, Grade 3 and Grade 1 level. Honeysuckle holds an entry in the Grade 1 Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 1st. Paddy Power made Honeysuckle 5/1 from 11/2 for the OLBG Mares' Hurdle. Additional reporting by Gary Carson
