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Rachael Blackmore is counting down the days to renewing her partnership with star mare Honeysuckle in the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown this weekend.
Honeysuckle heads the six entries remaining in Sunday’s highlight, a race that she has won for the past two years. If she can win on Sunday, Honeysuckle will extend her unbeaten run of 13 career victories, an achievement that her rider attributes to her horse’s incredible winning attitude.
Blackmore said, “Honeysuckle is just a special mare – she is above and beyond anything else, she has a massive will to win and she has dug deep a few times when she has really had to.
“She is very versatile in a lot of different areas and to be able to adapt as she does to different situations, different races and different tactics makes her a dream to ride. Henry and everyone in the yard do a fantastic job with her.
“We were really happy with her performance first-time out at Fairyhouse last November – it was a great start to her season. She has a phenomenal record and every day we go out we just try to keep that going.
“It’s every jockey’s dream is to be associated with a horse like Honeysuckle in their career and it’s a real privilege to be part of her team.
“Dublin Racing Festival is a fantastic weekend of racing and it’s brilliant that Honeysuckle is going for another Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle. Hopefully we can put up a good show again. We are in countdown mode and looking forward to the weekend getting going now.
“It’s great to have the crowds back - they bring such a special atmosphere. Honeysuckle got an unbelievable reception at the Dublin Racing Festival in 2020 and I really hope we will be walking back into the winners’ enclosure on Sunday.
Peter Molony, racing manager for Kenny Alexander, Honeysuckle’s owner, said: “Henry is very happy with her. I called in to see her myself last week and she is as grumpy as ever which she always is when she is fit and well, so fingers crossed now for a good run.
“It’s great that racegoers can now get an opportunity to see her race. We are very aware of her fan club - she was with us on her holidays last summer and we were inundated with people who wanted to come and see her so that was a big enough indication. The reception she got at Fairyhouse was incredible.
“It’s exciting and nerve-racking but we are really looking forward to seeing her defend her Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle crown in front of a packed crowd at Dublin Racing Festival.”
Opposition
Heading the opposition to Honeysuckle at the Dublin Racing Festival is the Willie Mullins-trained Appreciate It and the champion trainer’s Saint Roi and Echoes In Rain also stand their ground. Zanahiyr looks set to represent Gordon Elliott while Heaven Help Us is still there for Paul Hennessy.
The first of the Sunday’s Grade 1 races is the Ladbrokes Novice Chase and heading the 13 entries are the Willie Mullins’ Galopin Des Champs and Jungle Boogie while the Grade 1 winners Master McShee and Fury Road in the mix for Paddy Corkery and Gordon Elliott respectively.
Eight horses go forward for the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase with the Mullins-trained Chacun Pour Soi set to face off against the Paul Nicholls’ Greaneteen and Captain Guinness, trained by Henry de Bromhead. The Jonjo O'Neill-trained Sky Pirate also remains in the race.
Sir Gerhard heads the 12 remaining entries in the 
Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle and opposition to Willie Mullins’ course and distance winner come Sunday could include Elliott’s Mighty Potter and Three Stripe Life and the Gavin Cromwell-trained My Mate Mozzie.
The first race of the weekend’s action on Saturday is the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors ‘€50,000 Cheltenham Bonus for Stable Staff’ Novice Hurdle and here Elliott has a strong hand with both Hollow Games and Minella Crooner among the remaining 10 which also features the Henry de Bromhead-trained Journey With Me.
The Grade 1 Racing TV ‘€12 per Month This Weekend Only’ Juvenile Hurdle sees the Willie Mullins-trained Vauban and Elliott’s Fil Dor heading the nine acceptors while seven horses remain in the Patrick Ward & Company Solicitors Irish Arkle Novice Chase, with Mullins’ Blue Lord, Haut En Couleurs and Saint Sam standing their ground along with the Gordon Elliott-trained Riviere D’etel.
The Grade 1 Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, being run on the Dublin Racing Festival’s opening day for the first time, also has an entry of nine sets up a clash between the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon, Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Indo and the Mullins-trained Kemboy, last year’s winner.
Tim Husbands, CEO of Leopardstown Racecourse, said: “Delighted to see the depth of quality of Irish entries across all races and welcome similarly the UK entries for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup and Ladbrokes Dublin Chase, ensuring highly competitive and compelling fields – it will provide a feast of action for the much welcomed returning public to the Festival.”
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