HENRY DE BROMHEAD and Rachael Blackmore are dreaming of Cheltenham glory with Honeysuckle after the exciting mare won the feature Grade 3 BetVictor Solerina Mares Hurdle at Fairyhouse today.
The €35,000 event was won by Laurina in 2018 and she went on to win the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Honeysuckle is now favourite for the very same race after the 6-4 favourite’s six-length success over Western Victory at Fairyhouse.
Honeysuckle is now 7-2 market leader for the aforementioned Cheltenham contest.
Midleton native Paul Townend continued his quest for a second jump jockeys’ championship, meanwhile, by riding his 80th winner of the season thanks to Real Steel who won the opening Book Your Easter Festival Tickets Today Beginners Chase.
The 6-4 favourite, trained in Closutton by champion trainer Willie Mullins, was always travelling sweetly in the hands of Townend and stormed to a ten-length victory over Beyond The Law.
The famous Champion Hurdle-winning colours of Sublimity were carried to victory by Dylrow, meanwhile. Trained only a few miles from Fairyhouse in Ratoath by Robbie Hennessy, Dylrow followed up a recent course success by swooping late to land the Fairyhouse Racecourse Members Handicap at odds of 9-2 under Danny Mullins.
Hennessy, who trained some top horses like Rubi Light, is expected to end his career as a trainer in the coming months as he just has two horses in training at present.
Later on the card there was a 314-1 double for Longwood-based trainer Gordon Elliott and Dingle jockey Jack Kennedy following the victories of 20-1 outsider Kayf Thou and 14-1 shot Chosen Mate.
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