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Mares’ Hurdle choice at Cheltenham a no-brainer for Honeysuckle connections – it was either that or retirement

Michael Verney

5 February 2023; Honeysuckle, with Rachael Blackmore up, on their way to finshing second in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile Expand

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5 February 2023; Honeysuckle, with Rachael Blackmore up, on their way to finshing second in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

5 February 2023; Honeysuckle, with Rachael Blackmore up, on their way to finshing second in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

5 February 2023; Honeysuckle, with Rachael Blackmore up, on their way to finshing second in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle on day two of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

When it comes to racing, it's all about winners and connections of Honeysuckle are right to head to the Cheltenham Festival with the realistic target of the Mares' Hurdle in their minds.

It might not be a universally popular decision, given that the mighty mare has landed the last two Champion Hurdles, but she is not quite at that same level - or the opposition have passed her out - and you go where you think you can win.

The way that she fought off Vauban for second place in last Sunday's Irish Champion Hurdle shows that there is still plenty of life in the nine-year-old. The love of the game is still there, but a handful of rivals have taken up her mantle.

Constitution Hill looks like a special talent across the Irish Sea for Nicky Henderson, while State Man put forward his case as the next best at Leopardstown, so why should Honeysuckle turn up to run for place money when another option is available?

Henry de Bromhead's charge announced her arrival at the highest level when taking the Mares' Hurdle at the 2020 Festival and she will now try to finish her career by doing likewise in the 2023 edition.

Some will say that connections are running scared of the top two in the Champion Hurdle, but there's a big difference between bravery and madness, especially when her trip to the Cotswolds will be a last hurrah.

She has a flawless record at the Festival and what better place to bring the curtain down on her glittering racing career than at Cheltenham, the pinnacle of jumps racing.

Given that it was the Mares' Hurdle or retirement, racing is the real winner as punters get to see her and Rachael Blackmore together one final time with a realistic chance of the pair riding off in a blaze of glory.

The Champion Hurdle already has plenty of intrigue, with Constitution Hill - already billed as the second coming - colliding with the Willie Mullins-trained State Man, while Honeysuckle's presence in the Mares' Hurdle some 40 minutes later lights up another Festival Grade One.

Owner Kenny Alexander can smell the roses after successive defeats, albeit gallant on both occasions, and knows that his superstar is no longer capable of scaling the heights that saw her transcending the hurdling scene for the past two seasons.

It's a no-brainer to go for the race where your best chance of victory is and given her extraordinary popularity, it's great that all involved will allow her to race one more time before heading off to start her broodmare career with a visit to Walk In The Park on the horizon.

The Cheltenham parade ring will be swamped, tickets are likely to sell out and the eyes of an equine nation will be fixed on her as the final act awaits. That's what sport is all about and racing will be the big winner. Now let's hope she gets there in one piece.

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