'I can't believe Honeysuckle's being written off - there's a long way to go'

Nicky Henderson has warned people not to write off Honeysuckle as he revels in the pressure of training rival Constitution Hill, who he hopes can light up Christmas at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The Lambourn trainer said he "couldn't be happier" with the sport's hottest property ahead of the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle where he will be joined by stablemate Epatante, who has been re-routed following the abandonment of the International Hurdle at Cheltenham.

It was Constitution Hill's 12-length thrashing of Epatante in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle last month that led to his Champion Hurdle price being slashed into odds-on, a price that contracted further after Honeysuckle lost her unbeaten record in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, a performance that yielded the possibility of her being redirected to the Mares' Hurdle in March.