Mares' Hurdle status is 'bringing it into disrepute' says man who sourced the brilliant Honeysuckle

Peter Molony, the man responsible for sourcing four-time Cheltenham Festival heroine Honeysuckle and long one of the Mares' Hurdle's most staunch defenders, has conceded that change is needed, saying the race's current status is "bringing it into disrepute". 

Molony, who no longer operates as racing manager to Honeysuckle's owner Kenny Alexander, has always been among those lobbying strongly on behalf of breeders to expand the mares' programme generally and promote their place in jump racing.

He was supportive of the decision to run Honeysuckle in the Mares' Hurdle on the two occasions she won the race either side of her famous Champion Hurdle double, the second time in 2023 constituting a poignant finale for the Henry de Bromhead team as she retired following her win under Rachael Blackmore six months after Jack de Bromhead's tragic death. 

However, the latest controversy that erupted following Lossiemouth's defection to the softer option on Tuesday has persuaded him to change tack. 

"There was always a bit of the romantic in me and I thought that maybe, if people had a mare good enough to run in the Champion Hurdle, they would do so," Molony said.

Peter Molony, long one of the Mares' Hurdle's most staunch supporters, has conceded something must be done to address the ongoing controversy surrounding the Cheltenham Grade 1Credit: Peter Mooney

"Now, I know you're going to come back to me and say we didn't run Honeysuckle in 2023 and I'm on record saying I was against doing so at the time, but I felt in those specific circumstances it was the right thing to do on that day. 

"I just think that it has got to the stage now, if you have a mare good enough, you should be running in the main championship races, and I think it is now putting the race that we are talking about under so much pressure that you could say it is bringing it into disrepute. So I think we do need to change something. The authorities need to look at it, much as I hate saying it."

Last year, discussions took place about the race and at one stage it was reported that any mare who had won a Grade 1 in the previous 13 months would be excluded from taking part. Molony came out strongly against that suggestion and remains adamant it is not the solution, but feels downgrading it to a Grade 2, as it was up to 2014, is the way forward. 

"I thought the proposals that were out last year, such as excluding a mare if she had won a Grade 1, were absolutely crazy because how could you then call the race a Grade 1?" he said. "I did everything in my power to make sure those particular proposals didn't come in, but at this stage I think maybe the best solution would be to bring it back to a Grade 2 and have a heavy Grade 1 penalty. If people want to run in it then, so be it.

Honeysuckle: won the Mares' Hurdle twice either side of her Champion Hurdle victoriesCredit: Patrick McCann

"The whole mares' programme, including this Mares' Hurdle, has done so much for racing over the years it would be an awful shame if it continued to be dragged into disrepute the way it is being at the moment. I just want to see it settled now."

On Tuesday, Alexander's Willie Mullins-trained Jade De Grugy, who is rated 151, finished a well-beaten second to Lossiemouth and that's the level of horse who should be catered for at Cheltenham, according to Molony.

"It is important that the race stays at Cheltenham and it will still be a prestigious race if it's a Grade 2," he said. "Jade De Grugy was here the other day and she was second to Lossiemouth; she is ultimately the type of mare who should be running in and winning the race because she isn't up to Champion Hurdle standard."

Read these next:

'People may not like it but we made the right decision' says Rich Ricci after Lossiemouth runs away with Mares' Hurdle 

Rich Ricci defends Mares' Hurdle switch after Lossiemouth romp as Dan Skelton suggests how race could be changed 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.