‘Honey’ so sweet as wonder mare maintains unbeaten streak

Rachael Blackmore celebrates with the cup after winning the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle at Punchestown. Photo: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Michael Verney

May 01 2021 02:30 AM

The greats always find a way to get the job done regardless of the circumstances and Honeysuckle’s remarkable unbeaten streak extended to a perfect dozen yesterday as the 4/7 favourite dug deep to land the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

It wasn’t Rachael Blackmore’s finest hour in the saddle as she committed Henry de Bromhead’s brilliant mare a tad early before a hesitant jump at the last left the door open for Sharjah (9/1), but she quickly shut it on housemate Patrick Mullins to forge ahead and score by two-and-a-quarter lengths.

Relief was written all over Blackmore’s face as her trusty partner supplied her with another Grade One prize to cap an extraordinary season which yielded six Cheltenham Festival winners as well as Aintree Grand National success.

“I am very relieved, she is some woman to get me out of trouble,” Blackmore said. “I nearly threw it away at the last, (she was) feeling the season a little bit but she was just phenomenal.

“I wasn’t as comfortable throughout the race on her but still she just delivers. Real stars get jockeys out of trouble. It’s just incredible and I feel so lucky to be part of all this and to be getting on these horses, and this one in particular, is so special.”

Connections of Kenny Alexander’s pride and joy and De Bromhead will wait to make a call on what’s next for Honeysuckle with many hoping for a switch to fences in a bid to emulate the mighty Dawn Run and land the unique Champion Hurdle/Gold Cup double.

She has already etched her place into equine immortality with a winning streak to match boxer Floyd Mayweather or the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ and her partnership with the Tipperary jockey is turning into a match made in heaven.

Blackmore’s bid for a first Irish jump jockeys’ championship went by the wayside after a quiet week at the Kildare track, but she is still trying to comprehend her accomplishments in recent months as she thrives on the pressure of the big occasion.

“At least once a day someone has said to me, ‘Well done at Aintree’ and it still hits me like, ‘Jesus, I won the Grand National!’ It has definitely not sunk in yet.

“It is a pressure I want. The more pressure you have the more fulfilling it is when it does work out.”

Honeysuckle was a rare big-race winner without the name Mullins behind it, but the Closutton maestro still made it a sweet 16 by the end of day four with another treble spearheaded by a smooth success for Gaillard Du Mesnil (1/2 favourite).

With hot favourite Bob Olinger a non-runner due to coughing, the Grade One Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle turned into a damp squib as Gaillard Du Mesnil got the better of Ashdale Bob (7/2).

That was Paul Townend’s only ride of the day – he has ridden five winners from just eight mounts – but it secured his century for the season and a fourth Irish jockeys’ championship despite clearly being hampered by a foot injury this week.

“It feels brilliant, I was doing a bit of sweating the last few weeks but it’s brilliant. I’m riding for the champion trainer so I’m probably supposed to be champion jockey and it’s nice to be it. They’re all sweet and a lot of work went in to getting me here,” he said.

Bryan Cooper’s resurgence continued when the quirky grey Asterion Forlonge (11/4 favourite) defied top-weight to land a handicap chase with Seán O’Keeffe completing the Mullins treble aboard El Barra (12/1), the second leg of his 129/1 double after earlier scoring on Jessica Harrington’s Rapid Response (9/1).