'She's actually in mighty form' - De Bromhead delighted with champ Honeysuckle

Tuesday: 3.30 CheltenhamUnibet Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) | 2m½f | 4yo+ | ITV/RTV

Honeysuckle has spent most of her life smashing records and, after surpassing Bula's winning sequence when landing her third Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month, the wondermare will overtake the mighty Frankel if she makes it her first 15 in a row here. Indeed, she would also become the first mare to win two Champion Hurdles.

The new Honeysuckle is a very different version to the one we saw beat Benie Des Dieux in the Mares' Hurdle back in 2020. She has been winning her races much earlier these days, making her move between the second-last and the last, and that is presumably where Rachael Blackmore will kick for home once again.

Everything has gone perfectly to script since we saw her complete a hat-trick of Irish Champion Hurdles at the Dublin Racing Festival and according to Henry de Bromhead, there are no negatives.

The trainer said: "She seems really well in herself. She's actually in mighty form and everything has gone great since you saw her last. It's all very positive."

When asked whether facing Appreciate It, the runaway winner of last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, was Honeysuckle's toughest test so far, De Bromhead replied: "Maybe it is, I don't know, but every time you run in a Grade 1 it's a tough test if you ask me.

"Obviously Appreciate It is very good and it sounds like they are happier than ever with Epatante too, so she will be asked plenty of questions. Let's see if she has the answers."

Honeysuckle has not got a question wrong yet. She has already beaten Saint Roi (twice), Epatante, Zanahiyr and Not So Sleepy but she has a few new faces lining up against her this time.

Not only Appreciate It, but Teahupoo, Adagio and Tommy's Oscar as well. She might be odds-on, and deservedly so, but she will need to be in the same sort of form as 12 months ago to become the first back-to-back winner since Buveur D'Air.

'We will definitely give her a fight' – Townend excited by Honeysuckle clash

Willie Mullins has the canny knack of making extraordinary things look ordinary but, even by his standards, winning a Champion Hurdle with a horse who has not been seen for exactly 364 days in his first start outside of novice company would be pretty sensational.

Appreciate It looked a man among boys in last year's Supreme, taking the race by the scruff on the neck coming down the hill and sauntering up the straight to win by 24 lengths. He is four from four over hurdles and could actually be anything.

Mullins said: "He's been doing everything right at home under David Casey, who is his work rider all the time. He's very happy with him and I'm happy with what I'm seeing. I hope he's done enough work and we're happy that he has – we couldn't get much more work into him. He's schooled well and at home he's doing all the right things. He's a sensible horse and shouldn't be fazed on the day."

Appreciate It: a clear winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham last MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

What does Paul Townend think?

"It's a race I'm really looking forward to," said the Irish champion jockey.

"It's not ideal stepping into open company to take her [Honeysuckle] on and at Cheltenham as well. However, he is a real natural jumper and he's mature in his way of racing so he has enough experience. If you were to pick a horse to throw into the deep end, I think he's tough enough to do it. We don't know how good Honeysuckle is and if we don't win, we will definitely give her a fight."

Speaking in his Ladbrokes blog, Townend added: "It's a race I've never won. I have been second in it I'd say a half a dozen times so hopefully I can go one better. This is one of the four big ones and a race I always showed huge interest in through my connection with Hurricane Fly when I started at Willie's. This is a race I would love to tick off the list."

'Teahupoo just keeps on progressing and winning' – Elliott double-handed

Teahupoo was not a name that appeared in any conversation about the Champion Hurdle until he exploded on to the scene at Gowran Park with a double-digit win in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle last month.

That Grade 3 looked a competitive contest on paper with last year's Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios among his rivals, but Teahupoo spreadeagled the field up the straight and won by 11 lengths. It was very easy on the eye and earned a Racing Post Rating of 165.

That victory came on heavy ground but Robbie Power reported back to Elliott afterwards and said Teahupoo would be more at home on a quicker surface.

Teahupoo: impressed at Gowran Park last monthCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Elliott said: "The mare [Honeysuckle] is probably head and shoulders above everything else but Teahupoo just keeps on progressing and winning. He's probably the unknown quantity in the race.

"He was very impressive at Gowran and when Puppy [Robbie Power] came back in the first thing he said was that he wanted much better ground. That's encouraging. He's earned his place in the line-up and he's never let us down so far."

Zanahiyr let his supporters down when a beaten favourite in last year's Triumph Hurdle, but he's a year older, a year wiser and a year stronger now and Elliott thinks cheekpieces could bring about further improvement.

The trainer said: "Zanahiyr wears cheekpieces and they might help him travel through the early part of the race. He's a horse who will need further in time but I could certainly see him running well."

'She's been working and schooling very well' – can Epatante regain her crown?

Nicky Henderson reports Epatante to be in similar form to which she won the race in 2020, but will that be good enough to regain the title?

It is hard to believe a former winner of the race, who has won a pair of Grade 1s on her last two starts including a comfortable Christmas Hurdle success, is as big as 18-1 with some firms to register an 11th career win from just 16 starts.

Henderson said: "I think she's in similar form to when she won the race. It was a good performance at Kempton at Christmas and she's been working and schooling very well, so you've got to think and hope she's back to where she was.

"We've got to go there optimistically but we realise what we're taking on. Honeysuckle is mighty and it will be a tough task but we'll give it a go."

'I don't think he's beaten a top-class horse' – can Tommy's Oscar continue fairytale story?

It would be some story if Tommy's Oscar turned out to be the best actor in this eagerly-awaited film, as the seven-year-old is penning the most heartwarming rags to riches tale of the season.

It took him eight goes to win a point-to-point and he was beaten in a bumper at Newcastle on his racecourse debut too. Indeed, he did not win his first two starts this season either.

But, ever since he won a handicap hurdle at Haydock in November off a mark of 138, Tommy's Oscar has turned inside out and he is now up to a mark of 156. Asking him to take down Honeysuckle might be a bit much, but he could be placed and that, in itself, would be a terrific achievement for his stable.

Ian Hamilton, owner of Tommy's Oscar, said: "Brian Hughes and everyone else has been telling us that it's not very often that you have a horse good enough to go to Cheltenham, so we've got to go for it. I don't think he's beaten a top-class horse yet, but he's improving so you just don't know.

"He's a bit nervy, so it'll be whether he's able to handle the Cheltenham crowd on the day. He's got a hood for the parade ring and then we'll take it off and then he should be okay in the race itself."

What they say

David Pipe, trainer of Adagio
He's in great form. Obviously Honeysuckle looks unbeatable but Adagio has improved since Wincanton and it's probably the best we've ever had him. We haven't really had a clear run with him until now and he's had plenty of graft. He has to up his game but you shouldn't be scared of one horse and he's ready for action.

Tom Lacey, trainer of Glory and Fortune
We're lucky to have a horse good enough to be entered in the Champion Hurdle. Our expectations are very much in check but hopefully he can enjoy it and run a nice race. If he could nick a bit of place prize-money we'll be over the moon.

Hughie Morrison, trainer of NotSoSleepy
He had a hard race at Newcastle and was entitled to have an off day at Kempton. His recent form shows he's best fresh and I couldn't be happier with him at the moment. If we came third or fourth we've had a fantastic run. He showed in the Fighting Fifth what a good horse he is and he's the top-rated two-mile hurdler in Britain.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Saint Roi
I think he could run a career-best. He's working very well, like he was two years ago when he won the County Hurdle. He's a horse who sometimes makes a mistake early on in the race, but if he doesn't do that and settles into a nice position he could sneak into a place.

Tuesday's Cheltenham Festival previews:

1.30 Cheltenham: 'Jonbon has been flawless' – Nicky Henderson on his scintillating Supreme duo

2.10 Cheltenham: 'We'll see if he's good enough' – big British hope Edwardstone takes on Irish

2.50 Cheltenham: 'I expect him to run a massive race' – who fancies their chances in the Ultima?

4.10 Cheltenham: Telmesomethinggirl bids for another festival triumph in wide-open Mares' Hurdle

4.50 Cheltenham: 'He looks nicely treated' – Paul Townend puts up Gaelic Warrior as best chance

5.30 Cheltenham: 'He looks tailor-made for this' – key quotes and insight for National Hunt Chase

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