Why Honeysuckle does not need to jump a fence to achieve legendary status

The spirit of Dawn Run may cast a spell over the connections of Honeysuckle, but the Champion Hurdle heroine can still achieve legendary status without jumping a fence.

Anyone who clapped eyes on the mare for the first time on Friday would have said Honeysuckle was crying out for a fence judging by the way she approached the first hurdle at Punchestown.

Those big airy leaps, a signature of Honeysuckle's during the early stages of her career, had been virtually non-existent during this faultless campaign.