CONNECTIONS of Honeysuckle seem to be in total denial. It’s sad to see.
Take the emotion away, and give or take a pound here or there, it’s very easy to argue sensibly that Henry de Bromhead’s dual Champion Hurdle heroine is as good as ever this season.
Chappers says it seems like Honeysuckle’s connections have thrown in the towel with her after two defeatsSportsfile
But because Honeysuckle has been beaten twice, those closest to her seem to have given up on her being what they have always claimed.
Not so long ago, owner Kenny Alexander said this: “I think she’ll win the (2023) Champion Hurdle, Henry thinks she’ll win it and Rachael Blackmore thinks she’ll win it.”
Alexander added: “Constitution Hill is special but so is Honeysuckle. I still fancy she’ll do it in March.”
Since then, Honeysuckle has been defeated by Teahupoo and Klassical Dream and then yesterday by State Man.
As I have said, it’s quite possible she has run to form in both those events, and in her third at Fairyhouse in the Hatton’s Grace the extended trip might well have been against her.
So what happens next? It appears connections are throwing in the towel.
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Honeysuckle won the Champion Hurdle at odds of 8-11F and 11-10F.
Now, it seems, because there is realistic competition those closest to the mare want to merely take any cash going (in the Mares’) or retire one of the most popular horses out there.
Honeysuckle will face a monster in Constitution Hill and a real beast in State Man should she run in next month’s Champion Hurdle.
But that’s what competition is all about.
Let’s look at this in real terms.
The heroine of the last two renewals of the Champion Hurdle, the Hatton’s Grace third and Irish Champion Hurdle runner-up is swerving another crack at the main event just because she might not win it.
That’s sad in the extreme.
Alexander is a top lad. He’s passionate. He gives it a bit of mouth. But he’s buckled here.
In 18 races Under Rules, Honeysuckle has only not been favourite on two occasions.
One was behind State Man, and the other was when she was lucky (in my opinion) to beat Benie des Dieux in the 2020 Mares’.
It really does seem that unless it’s a gift connections run scared. Indeed, in this case when the going gets tough, the tough give up.
That’s not what sport is about.
I don’t expect Honeysuckle to beat Constitution Hill in the Unibet-sponsored Champion Hurdle on March 14.
I also think she’s very lucky to be a dual Champion Hurdle heroine, in that her renewals were anything but vintage.
However, unlike those near her I absolutely respect her ability enough to think as a 12-time Grade 1 victor she deserves to take her chance.
If she’s in the first three she will have run a cracker…and if you are not in you can’t win. Who knows whether Cheltenham isn’t the place that really turns her on?
And please God no-one talk about the ‘she’s been a fabulous servant so let’s just get her home in one piece’.
On that basis no horse would ever run. There are risks. In a field. On a racecourse. Giving birth. Life is a risk.
Funny old game.
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