Cheltenham recap: Mullins blames jockey error for Benie Des Dieux defeat

Willie Mullins blamed jockey error for the moment that allowed Honeysuckle to make her winning move up the rail and claim the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the expense of his odds-on shot Benie Des Dieux.

Robbie Power, on board the Mullins-trained Stormy Ireland, left a gap on his inside as they turned for home, which Rachael Blackmore capitalised on to surge to the front on Honeysuckle.

Benie Des Dieux, out wide, was unable to bridge the gap under Paul Townend and went down by half a length.

Honeysuckle holds off Benie Des Dieux on the run to the lineCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Mullins told Racing TV: "I just think it was miscommunication turning for home. Maybe Robbie thought one of our horses was behind him rather than Honeysuckle. It looked like he just gifted the winner a huge gap while Paul was going on the outside."

He added: "Things happen. We won't want to watch it again."

Mullins' former stable jockey Ruby Walsh went further in criticising not only Power but Townend, who he told ITV viewers should have held his rivals in and "closed the door."

"Paul Townend should have shoved Robert Power in and closed the door on Honeysuckle there, and make her come back around," said Walsh. "Instead Rachael Blackmore gets a dream run through. That's the saving of two lengths and she only wins by one.

"Worry about it afterwards but close the door."

Walsh did not spare former weighing room colleague Power, who he said had abandoned the basic principle in allowing Blackmore up his inner.

"Letting the horse through on your inside it's irritating, especially with a guy coming round," said Walsh. "It was a rule when I was a kid you didn’t let anybody through on your inside. You stuck to the rail when you had it and made everyone come around you. It's the basics of race-riding."

While the Mullins team may have reason to rue how the final minute of the race unfolded, Walsh paid the highest possible compliment to Blackmore, who was collecting a third career festival winner.

Walsh said: "She is extremely driven and dedicated. She has impeccable manners but she's cold. She wants to be like any top sportsperson, she’s not in for the fanfare, she is clinical."

Johnson confident of Wednesday return

Richard Johnson is confident he will be back to ride at Cheltenham on Wednesday despite having been stood down by the racecourse doctor after he was unseated in the Racing Post Arkle.

The champion jockey, unseated from Brewin'upastorm at the fourth-last, only made his return to race-riding two weeks ago after breaking his arm in January and was replaced aboard No Comment in the Ultima and Gumball in the Champion Hurdle by Aidan Coleman.

However, the rider is optimistic he will be back in action on Wednesday for three rides. He said: "I landed awkwardly and jarred the hip but I'll be absolutely fine to ride on Wednesday."

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