Honeysuckle wins Mares’ Hurdle in Cheltenham for favorite Benie Des Dieux in fifth race on day one
Honeysuckle has defeated Benie Des Dieux in a huge battle for the Hurdle of Close Brothers Mares in Cheltenham.
Benie Des Dieux, trained by Willie Mullins, claimed the Grade One prize in 2018 and appeared to succeed 12 months ago until a crash on the final flight.
Since then, Grade Ones in Punchestown and Auteuil won before making a foot-perfect comeback in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park, she was the 4-6 favorite to regain her crown, despite a serious rival in Henry de Bromhead’s 9-4 shot Honeysuckle .
Honeysuckle won the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle, ridden by Rachel Blackmore
Unbeaten in seven earlier starts, including last month’s victory in the Irish champion in Leopardstown, the six-year-old traveled much of the way under Rachael Blackmore, but watched the grace of Benie Des Dieux in the hands of a motionless Paul Townend racet down the hill.
Honeysuckle, however, accelerated the better of the two who finished the home turn to steal the advantage, and try if she could, Benie Des Dieux could not return to conditions in the straight, with a half-length that separated the pair on the line.
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