Honeysuckle (foaled 28 April 2014) a British-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt races. In the 2018/19 season she was unbeaten in four races including the Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle, Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle and Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final. In the following season she compiled another perfect record, winning four times and taking the Hatton's Grace Hurdle, Irish Champion Hurdle and David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle. Another four straight wins in the 2020/21 season saw her repeat her victories in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and the Irish Champion Hurdle before going on to win the Champion Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle. In the 2021-22 season Honeysuckle extended her unbeaten run with further repeat victories in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle before winning a second Champion Hurdle.
Background
Honeysuckle is a bay mare with no white markings bred in England by Dr G W Guy. At the Goffs Punchestown Sale on 2018 the four-year-old filly was purchased for €100,000 by Peter Molony of Rathmore Stud. She entered the ownership of Kenneth Alexander and was sent into training with Henry de Bromhead at Knockeen, County Waterford
She was sired by Sulamani, a top-class international turf horse whose wins included the Prix du Jockey Club, Dubai Sheema Classic, Arlington Million, Juddmonte International Stakes and Canadian International Stakes. The best of his progeny included Mastery and Rule The World. Honeysuckle's dam First Royal showed modest racing ability, winning one minor race from ten attempts in her native Germany. First Royal's grand-dam First Smile was a half-sister to the German St. Leger winner First Hello.
Racing career
2018/2019 National Hunt season
Honeysuckle began her racing career on the amateur Point-to-point circuit, winning a maiden race for four-year-old mares at Dromahane on 22 April 2018. She made her debut under National Hunt rules on 14 November when she started the 9/10 favourite for a mares' Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles at Fairyhouse. Ridden as in most of her subsequent races by Rachael Blackmore she disputed the lead from the start, drew away over the last two flights of hurdles and won "easily" by twelve lengths from Moskovite and six others. The mare was then moved up in class for the Listed Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle over two miles at Thurles Racecourse on 22 December and recorded another easy victory, leading from the start and coming home three and a quarter lengths clear of Sassy Diva.
The Grade 3 Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle over two and a quarter miles at Fairyhouse in January saw Honeysuckle go off the 6/4 favourite against six opponents. After racing in third place she took the lead approaching the second last flight and extended her advantage to win by six lengths from Western Victory despite a minor jumping error at the last obstacle. The mare missed an intended run at the Cheltenham Festival after performing poorly in training gallops: De Bromhead reported that she "went a bit flat and we weren't happy with her". For her final appearance of the season Honeysuckle was elevated to the highest class on 21 April at Fairyhouse and started 6/4 favourite for the Grade 1 Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final, with the best fancied of her 21 opponents being the Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner Eglantine du Seuil. After racing just behind the leaders Honeysuckle went to the front after the third last and won by five and a half lengths from Elfile with Eglantine du Seuil three lengths back in third. After the race De Bromhead said "She's some five-year-old and has achieved so much already... and is a really exciting mare. Rachael said she just wanted to keep it simple. She got a lovely position and had her jumping great. I said to her beforehand that you don't need to drive on too early, but then I saw her taking a pull after the second last and said you can drive on now all right!"