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Honeysuckle decision sets up massive Mares' Hurdle showdown

Tom Collins on the latest developments along the road to the Cheltenham Festival

Honeysuckle lands the Irish Champion Hurdle but will take in the Mares' Hurdle next week
Honeysuckle lands the Irish Champion Hurdle but will take in the Mares' Hurdle next weekCredit: Patrick McCann

The Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle is worth just a quarter of the total prize-money of the Champion Hurdle, yet connections of Honeysuckle have overlooked the main event, reasoning the 2m4f trip was more suitable than the 2m½f of the opening day's main event.

Add in the fact the six-year-old would probably be favourite for the Champion instead of second in the market behind Benie Des Dieux in the mares' contest and it looks a strange decision.

The best way of winning a race is by finding the easiest company possible and normally siding with the Mares' Hurdle would make sense. But not this year.

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