'He could give her a fright' - can anyone dethrone the mighty Honeysuckle?

Friday: 5.25 Punchestown
Paddy Power Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m | 4yo+ | RTE2/RTV

Some will say he's crazy, more will say he's foolish, but Robbie Power is focusing on the positives ahead of what many would describe as mission impossible – lowering the colours of Honeysuckle on his final ride.

However, Power, who on Thursday announced he would retire from the saddle after this race, did not become one of the most successful jumps riders of the modern era by shirking any battles. In fact, he is relishing his underdog status as he knows better than most that this race can throw up the odd surprise or two.

It was in 2007 in this race when Power drove Silent Oscar to claim an unlikely victory at odds of 25-1, and he was also written off before the tapes went up when Supasundae struck in 2018.

Beating Honeysuckle would be the ultimate surprise, but if Teahupoo came back to his best form, according to Power, it should not come as a shock to anyone that Gordon Elliott's five-year-old could at least let the mare know that she's had a race.

Robbie Power: 'I don't even know what colour Honeysuckle is – that's how far I've been beaten by her throughout her career'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Teahupoo has to leave behind a disappointing effort in last month's Champion Hurdle, but Power is taking the positives out of how Elliott's Mighty Potter confined a poor run in the Supreme to the rearview mirror in winning a Grade 1 at Punchestown on Tuesday.

Power said: "I don't think it's any secret that some of Gordon's horses just didn't fire at Cheltenham. Mighty Potter was a good example of that and look what he did earlier in the week. Hopefully Teahupoo can do something similar if he bounces back to his best."

Asked what is the closest he has come to beating Honeysuckle, he
joked: "I don't even know what colour Honeysuckle is – that's how far I've been beaten by her throughout her career. But all good things come to an end. Every race you go out to ride in you go out to win.

"I won this race twice before and apparently had no chance in both of them. Silent Oscar won it at 25-1, where he got the better of Macs Joy, and Supasundae wasn't given a prayer here a few years ago.

"You have to be positive as a jockey and, if Honeysuckle doesn't turn up, hopefully we'll be there to take advantage."

Robbie Power: hoping he can cause another upset in the Champion Hurdle with Teahupoo

Teahupoo lined up for the Champion Hurdle with a real progressive profile after obliterating a solid bunch of hurdlers at Gowran Park in February.

The quick ground at Cheltenham was suggested by many as being a possible excuse for the poor show, but Power holds no fears about the ground at Punchestown and reports Teahupoo to be going nicely at home in Cullentra.

He said: "I'm not so much worried about the ground – the ground is fantastic here and it's nowhere near as quick as it was at Cheltenham – but he has a very bad run in the Champion Hurdle to overcome.

"We were very disappointed with him at Cheltenham and felt that he ran way below his best. He's a lot better than that.

"If he comes back to the form he showed when he beat Darasso at Gowran, he could give Honeysuckle a fright because this is a horse we think an awful lot of.

"He seems to be in very good form at home. Gordon has done very little with him since Cheltenham, just freshened him up, so hopefully he gives it a good shot."

Scudamore hoping for a miracle aboard Adagio

Robbie Power may be psyching himself up for causing one of the biggest sporting surprises of the year, but Tom Scudamore is facing into battle with more realistic expectations of Adagio and admits nothing short of a miracle is required.

Adagio was well beaten behind Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle after making a mistake at the third-last when, according to his rider, it was all to play for with regards third or fourth place.

While he admits beating Honeysuckle may be a step too far for the sole British raider, Scudamore believes the David Pipe-trained five-year-old can outrun his odds.

Adagio is the sole British raider, but his rider Tom Scudamore believes nothing short of a miracle is required to winCredit: David Davies (Getty Images)

He said: "It's not quite Easter still, but we're hoping for a miracle. That's what I think is needed to lower the colours of Honeysuckle. There's no hiding away from the fact that she is going to be incredibly hard to beat and she is deserving of her reputation. She's a fantastic racemare who knows how to win and it's going to be incredibly hard for any horse to lower her colours."

He added: "Adagio made a bad mistake at the third-last in the Champion Hurdle and he couldn't recover from there. I'm not saying he would have beaten Honeysuckle but, up until that point, I felt I was going well enough to be in the first four.

"Hopefully, with a clear round, he can be competitive. Honeysuckle will be hard to beat, but there is plenty of prize-money on offer for running in the placings and we'll be giving it our best shot."

De Bromhead: 'Honeysuckle in mighty form since Cheltenham'

What is there left to say about Honeysuckle that hasn't already been said. The darling of jump racing treated her Champion Hurdle rivals with contempt and, given she is reported by her trainer Henry de Bromhead to have come out of that race in top shape, it all seems rather ominous for her five rivals here.

De Bromhead said: "Honeysuckle is in mighty form since Cheltenham. She seems really well. She had to battle to win at Punchestown last year, but they went some pace in it and I think she did what she had to do and was good on the day."

He added: "I think it's fair comment to say she only does what she needs to in order to win her races and that probably has helped her keep reproducing so consistently throughout her career.

"It's a privilege for all of us to be associated with her. She has been incredible since being bought by Peter Molony and Kenny Alexander at Punchestown and we can't wait to go again on Friday."

What they say

David Pipe, trainer of Adagio
He's travelled over well. He came out of Cheltenham well, but wasn't quite ready for Aintree. It's a tough ask for him, but there's plenty of prize-money on offer.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Darasso
We're looking forward to the race and hopefully he can collect some valuable prize-money. He has been in very good form this season so we're hopeful that he can put up a good show.

Friday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Fact-finding Derby mission for connections of small-field Newmarket Stakes

3.15 Goodwood: Could we see another future Group 1 winner in this red-hot Listed race?

3.35 Newmarket: Jetsetting Yibir returns to the green grass of home - what is his main danger?

4.15 Punchestown: 'His second to Stattler reads very well' - Fighter could frank stablemate's form

6.00 Punchestown: Mullins-trained Champion Hurdle prospect sets the standard in top novice event

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