Honesty Policy adds another string to Longsdon's bow with Aintree Grade 1 victory

Charlie Longsdon has enjoyed plenty of success as a trainer and on Saturday added another fine accomplishment to his CV having co-bred Saturday's Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle winner, Honesty Policy. 

A son of Jukebox Jury, Honesty Policy was pitched into elite company off the back of his wins at Navan and Leopardstown and he thrived on the big stage, denying Regent's Stroll in a thrilling race at the Merseyside track. Given that was his fourth appearance under rules, there should be plenty more to come from the gelding. 

The Gordon Elliott-trained runner was bred by Longsdon alongside Harry Fowler and Alex Frost and is out of the winning Kalanisi mare Molo. 

The gelding was sold by Fowler and his wife Lorna's Rahinston Stud draft at the 2020 Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Foal Sale to Richard Frisby for €28,000. He was then sold by Glenwood Stud for €35,000 to Suirview Stables at the 2023 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale. 

Longsdon said: "I had a drink with Gordon Elliott on Friday night and I said, 'look at your horse in the Grade 1 novice hurdle tomorrow, look on the Racing Post website and look down', and he said, 'ah, you bred him.' I bred him with Harry Fowler and Alex Frost and I told Gordon that he needed to win as it might give us some extra publicity."

Honesty Policy had sported the colours of Francis Mangan to win two of his three starts over hurdles before being purchased by JP McManus prior to his run at Aintree.

A winner of three starts, Molo was bought by Longsdon from her trainer David Pipe for £27,000 at the DBS Spring Sale in 2015 and after the original plan to race her on went awry, they decided to go down the breeding route. 

Honesty Policy after his Aintree success on SaturdayCredit: GROSSICK RACING

"I bought the mare years ago with Harry and Alex to race, but she went lame and we decided to breed from her. She's now had three winners from three runners, her last foal is a four-year-old [gelding] by Harzand, but then she sadly died from colic. 

"I do need to make sure JP knows that I bred him and how important I was in the process - that way I might get another horse from him!" Longsdon joked. "I would say Honesty Policy is going to be a proper horse, the last two furlongs [at Aintree] he just kept on galloping."

Longsdon said it was Fowler's decision to send the mare to Jukebox Jury, the sire of this year's unbeaten Champion Bumper winner Bambino Fever, as well as 2018 Triumph Hurdle victor Farclas and Princess Zoe, a winner of the Prix du Cadran on the Flat. 

He added: "Molo was with Harry the whole time at Rahinston Stud, he's the expert and he very much decided who to send her to. It was an inspired choice to send her to Jukebox Jury, just look how popular he is now. 

"I've got Honesty Policy's sister, Molto Bene, with us now but we sold the others as foals. The whole thing is very much down to Harry's judgement, we were very much led by Harry and he's led us extremely well."

Longsdon is no stranger to bloodstock insight with his former stable star, Becher Chase and Mares' National Hunt Novices' Hurdle Finale winner Snow Leopardess, having produced a foal during her two-year break from training after injury. 

The resulting foal, now named Red Panda, remains in training at his Chipping Norton yard, as does Snow Leopardess' multiple winning half-brother, Parramount.

"I've got her first foal in Red Panda, by Sir Percy and since Snow Leopardess has retired she's had a colt foal by Nathaniel," Longsdon added. 

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