It promises to be an emotional day at the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday when Honeysuckle is due to race for the last time in her career.
The nine-year-old will not defend her crown in the Champion Hurdle but instead lines up in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle, the race in which her Cheltenham Festival story began in 2020.
Her victory over Benie Des Dieux was win number eight, halfway to what became a 16 race winning streak over hurdles.
Owned by Kenny Alexander, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden in every start by Rachael Blackmore, she will bow out having already recorded 16 wins from 18 races under rules and earnings of over £1.3 million.
Blackmore is hopeful Honeysuckle can end an incredible career on a high with another victory at Cheltenham. She said: "There is not much more that I can say about Honeysuckle that I haven't said before. She is an unbelievable mare and she has been an unbelievable mare for me.
"She has been incredible for my career. All that she has achieved, and I have been lucky enough to get to ride her. As has been well publicised, this will be her last race, I won't be looking back. We can look back when it's over.
"She has given us all the big days that she could have given us so far, the crowds have been brilliant and I would love her to have one more big day."
Honeysuckle is the second favourite with most bookmakers ahead of Tuesday's race, behind Maries Rock, but Blackmore insists: ""She's in great form, she still feels like she is very well, she still feels like she has plenty of fight in her.
"It's a very strong race, but Honeysuckle is in great order at home, she's showing us all the right signs and everyone is happy with her.
"Regardless of what happens on Tuesday, she has been phenomenal mare and it will be brilliant if she can go out on a high."
Peter Molony, racing manager for owner Alexander, added: "She seems very happy to be back at Cheltenham – she loves the place. Henry always has her at her peak at Cheltenham – he’s a master at that – and I have every confidence that he’ll have done the same this year.”
“I wish it wasn’t raining quite so much, but we’re looking forward to it. It would be a fairytale for her to win at Cheltenham again. She owes us nothing, but we are greedy!”
