Mares' Hurdle 'highly unlikely' for Honeysuckle as Champion clash is back on

The big clash jump racing fans are craving is back on after news emerged on Sunday that Honeysuckle is "highly unlikely" to tackle the Mares' Hurdle and if she is to run at the Cheltenham Festival it will be against Constitution Hill in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead dropped a bombshell last month, after Honeysuckle had lost her proud unbeaten record when only third in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, when suggesting it was not a foregone conclusion that she would bid for a Champion Hurdle hat-trick, and that the Mares' Hurdle was "very much on his mind".

That shock news resulted in Honeysuckle's odds for the Mares' Hurdle tumbling, and she was around 7-2 favourite for the race on Sunday morning.

However, according to Peter Molony, racing manager to owner Kenny Alexander, it is now looking increasingly likely it will be the Champion Hurdle or nothing at the Cheltenham Festival for Honeysuckle, with her performance in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown next month determining whether she will clash with Constitution Hill or be retired.

Molony told the Racing Post: "Kenny has said it for a long time that she owes us nothing and, if she is not running up to her full potential we'll retire her.

"That has always been the way. Nothing has changed. And, listen, we were happy with the way she ran at Fairyhouse in the Hatton's Grace, delighted in fact.

"All the ratings people are telling us it was her best first run back of the season ever. If we hadn't been protecting an unbeaten run, I think we would have come away from Fairyhouse very happy."

Honeysuckle: dual Champion Hurdle winnerCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

When asked whether there was zero chance of Honeysuckle running in the Mares' Hurdle, Molony replied: "I'm not going to say zero, because you always have to keep your options open, but I would think it's highly unlikely."

Honeysuckle, who went 16 races unbeaten before she suffered her first reversal at the hands of Teahupoo and Klassical Dream in the Hatton's Grace last month, was eased to as big as 15-2 with bet365 for the Mares' Hurdle after Sunday's news, while the same firm cut her to 8-1 (from 10-1) for the Champion Hurdle.

On her prospects of winning a fourth Irish Champion Hurdle next month, Molony said: "We'd have to be hopeful and happy going into the race.

"People think she has run the best first race of the season of her life so you'd have to be hopeful. Henry seems to be very happy with her anyway."

Unibet Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 14)

Unibet: 1-3 Constitution Hill, 4 State Man, 7 Vauban, 8 Honeysuckle, 25 bar.

Read more

'It was always going to happen some day' – Honeysuckle thwarted by Teahupoo

'We were delighted with her run' – Honeysuckle still on track for Irish Champion (£)

Sign up here. Place 5 x £10 Sportsbook bets on any market at minimum odds of 2.0 (evens) and get money back as cash if it loses. Max refund per qualifying bet is £10 (up to £50 in total). Only deposits made via cards will be eligible for the promotion (Apple Pay excluded). T&Cs apply.