Honeysuckle

10th-Mar-2020

I find it very difficult to split Benie Des Dieux and Honeysuckle so, at respective prices, Honeysuckle is the bet.

Henry de Bromhead’s mare is a superstar mare, she has never been beaten, we don’t know how good she can be.  She is similar to Benie Des Dieux in that respect. Benie Des Dieux has never been beaten when she has stood up since she has joined Willie Mullins.  But there is just a chance that her best trip is three miles.  She has been devastating in her last two runs over that trip.

She is top class of course over two and a half miles too, but this is probably Honeysuckle’s optimum trip.  She was great over this distance in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, and she did well to battle on as well as she did to win the Irish Champion Hurdle, over a trip that was probably short of her best and after losing concentration on the run to the last.

Benie Des Dieux is rated 4lb superior, but she is nine, whereas Honeysuckle is only six and unbeaten and possibly still improving.  The disparity in their respective prices is greater than it should be in my book.

HONEYSUCKLE WON (ADV 100/30, SP 9/4)