How the pendulum swung away from Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle division

Honeysuckle suffered a second consecutive defeat at Leopardstown on Sunday, with State Man lowering her colours and in turn confirming a changing of the guard in the two-mile division. We look into how the pendulum has swung in the Champion Hurdle hierarchy.

December 2021: Constitution Hill raises eyebrows

It is quite staggering to think, but Constitution Hill (148 Racing Post Rating) was not sent off favourite for his hurdling debut at Sandown. He was instead the 85-40 second-favourite to Might I, a horse he brushed aside by 14 lengths, posting a Racing Post Rating of 148 in the process.

State Man (126) debuted several weeks later but was not quite as successful. Sent off at 8-11, he was travelling kindly behind the leaders when falling two from home.

Constitution Hill (right) jumps to the lead on debut at SandownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

January 2022: A star is born?

People were clamouring to take on Constitution Hill (152) in the Tolworth Novices' Hurdle. 'The ground won't suit' and 'he's all hype' were thrown out as reasons to oppose him, but the 2-5 favourite stamped his ticket to the Supreme with a dominant 12-length success.

After the race Nicky Henderson said Nico de Boinville "couldn't believe how far clear he was without having to give the horse a click" – an ominous sign of things to come.

February 2022: Honeysuckle marches on

After making a winning reappearance in the Grade 1 Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in November, Honeysuckle (161) maintained her unbeaten record with a scintillating performance to land her third consecutive Irish Champion Hurdle.

State Man (133) atoned for his debut fall by obliging at 1-7 in a Limerick maiden hurdle, which would make him the ante-post favourite for the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

March 2022: Constitution Hill leaves Cheltenham gobsmacked

The first race of the festival, the Supreme, was coined as a titanic tussle between the Henderson-trained pair of Constitution Hill (172) and Jonbon, and Willie Mullins' Dysart Dynamo. The only struggle that occurred was De Boinville trying to pull up Constitution Hill, who left the spectators stunned with a 22-length rout.

Honeysuckle (159) was sent off at 8-11 to retain her Champion Hurdle crown a couple of hours later and she duly obliged. At the time, it set up a mouth-watering clash between herself and the Supreme winner, which would ultimately not materialise.

Honeysuckle: the first mare to win back-to-back runnings of the Champion HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The banker of the meeting for many, State Man (151) was sent off 11-4 for the County Hurdle and he made a mockery of his 141 rating. As the old cliche goes: he was a Graded horse in a handicap.

April 2022: cracks starting to appear?

Honeysuckle (159) did what she had to do in winning her second Punchestown Champion Hurdle, but it was not a pretty performance, beating a 149-rated Echoes In Rain by just three lengths. Still queen of the division, hopes of a dream clash with Constitution Hill remained alive.

On the same day, State Man (158) laid down a marker in the Champion Novice Hurdle, quickening away from some useful rivals to the tune of seven lengths. It was not in the ballpark of Constitution Hill, but it was still an eyecatching run.

November 2022: young generation lay down their marker

November saw the two young guns get their chance to stake their claims to the division and it was State Man (165) who did so first, readily putting away stablemate Sharjah in the Morgiana Hurdle.

Constitution Hill (176) was next up and he produced another monstrous display, making all the running in the Fighting Fifth under a motionless De Boinville. Epatante was trailing in his wake and that spelled serious danger for Honeysuckle, who had not put her away with such gusto in two previous Champion Hurdles.

Constitution Hill: effortlessly pulls clear of Epatante in the Fighting Fifth at NewcastleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

December 2022: times have changed

Honeysuckle (158) was sent off at 4-11 to make a winning reappearance in the Hatton's Grace but her stranglehold on the race was broken by Teahupoo, who quickened past her with Klassical Dream to cause a huge shock.

As a result, she was quickly pushed out for the Champion Hurdle and the scale of the task facing her was evident once more when Constitution Hill (175) decimated stablemate Epatante for a second time, this time in the Christmas Hurdle by 17 lengths.

State Man (168) won his third Grade 1 several days later, handing down a beating to Vauban and Sharjah in the Matheson Hurdle, totally changing the complexion of the division.

February 2022: Honeysuckle's crown slips

The highlight of the Dublin Racing Festival for many, Honeysuckle (146) was attempting to keep her Champion Hurdle dream alive in taking on State Man (161), but it was the latter who confirmed himself to be the biggest danger to Constitution Hill.

Honeysuckle went down on her shield, but the race was a vivid example of how pendulum has fully swung to the younger generation in the two-mile division.

State Man leaves Honeysuckle behind in the Irish Champion HurdleCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Read these next:

One last hurrah! Honeysuckle to be aimed at Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival 

Can State Man beat Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle? Our experts have their say

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