Rachael Blackmore is confident Honeysuckle can silence the doubters and get back to winning ways in Sunday’s Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle.
The legendary mare is seeking a fourth win in a row in the Leopardstown contest — the highlight of the second afternoon of the €2m Dublin Racing Festival.
Blackmore and Honeysuckle suffered a shock first ever defeat at Fairyhouse in December when beaten by Teauphoo and Klassical Dream in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.
Since then questions have lingered over whether the two-time Champion Hurdle winning mare can bounce back here and in the Cotswolds in March.
Speaking after being unveiled as a new ambassador for Betfair, Blackmore said: "She's unbeaten at Leopardstown and I wouldn't be underestimating her in any shape or form.
"She's the one they all have to come out and beat.
"There's always pressure riding Honeysuckle. But if I had lost the faith in her then it'd be a very poor reflection of what we've achieved"!
The Henry De Bromhead-trained Honeysuckle has been sent off favourite for all nine races since beating Benie Des Dieux in the 2020 Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham but Blackmore isn't concerned that the Willie Mullins-trained State Man appears to be favoured heading into this weekend.
"With regards to who is favourite, that's not something I take much notice of to be honest. I'm on her back and I have full confidence in her. We couldn’t be happier with Honeysuckle.
"It looks like a very good race, as you would expect for an Irish Champion Hurdle. State Man has won the Morgiana Hurdle and the Matheson Hurdle this season, and Vauban ran really well in the Matheson Hurdle on his seasonal debut.
"I am just so lucky to be associated with Honeysuckle, and I hope that she can put up another big performance on Sunday. It's great to be going into a meeting like the Dublin Racing Festival with a horse like Honeysuckle to ride.
"As everybody knows, she is an unbelievable mare, a horse that every jockey dreams of getting to ride. Henry is happy with her, and Colman Comerford, who knows her as well as anyone knows her, is very happy with her. She seems to be as good as ever."
That Fairyhouse defeat was her first in 17 races having won 16 in succession and €1.5m in prize-money since a maiden hurdle win at the same Meath venue in 2018.
"It was a combination of things I think. There was very strong opposition, on that ground, over that trip. That combination ultimately resulted in her getting beaten, but I really do feel she ran a very strong race. It was just one of those things.
"Teahupoo is a very good horse and so is Klassical Dream, it was just disappointing that she was beaten.”
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