Honeysuckle, the Champion Hurdle winner in 2021 and 2022, introduced down the curtain on her good racing profession with a seventeenth victory – her fourth in a row on the Festival – as a hallmark burst of velocity after the general flight carried her to a one- and-a-half period win within the Mares’ Hurdle.
Honeysuckle’s win precipitated massive celebrations within the stands but in addition emotional scenes as she returned to the winner’s enclosure for the general time and ideas returned to the tragic loss of life of Jack de Bromhead, the son of her teacher, Henry, in a pony-race fall final years.
“You dream of the fairytale ending but, so often, it doesn’t happen,” De Bromhead stated. “Most of it is for Honey, because she has been so unbelievable, but everyone has shown us so much support. We’re really grateful for that. It’s been an incredibly tough time.
“We know Jack is always with us and I’m sure he was here on Rachael [Blackmore]s shoulder. Honeysuckle has been a huge part of our life and Jack just adored her – so she did it as much for him as she did for all of us.”
Honeysuckle was one of five Irish-trained winners on the opening day of the meeting, which opened with runners from Ireland filling the first eight places in the Supreme Novice Hurdle, won by the Barry Connell-trained Marine Nationale.
El Fabiolo (Arkle Trophy), Jazzy Matty (Boodles Handicap Hurdle) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (National Hunt Chase) completed an excellent opening day for the visitors.
“It’s the best feeling of all time,” Connell, who has additionally owned and ridden winners on the direction however used to be celebrating his first win as a teacher, stated later on.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself, saying he was the best horse I’ve ever had. He’s very, very quick. He’s unlike any other horse we’ve had before. They were mainly stayers, this is a quick horse [and] today was his day.
I enjoy [training] about 150% more. I love being with the horses, going round the yard, going out on the gallops, talking to the staff. I think we’ll come back here for the Arkle [over fences] next year. Those are my initial thoughts at this period in time, but today is for enjoying today.”