HENRY DE BROMHEAD’S Honeysuckle left nothing to chance with a scintillating performance in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
Racing in open company for the first time, the impressive mare (9/10 fav) extended her unbeaten record under rules and bagged a second Grade 1 title, running away from Bacardys to win by an easy nine lengths in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.
Apples Jade was a further four lengths back in third.
“To go and do what she did was pretty incredible I thought,” de Bromhead told Racing TV afterwards.
“I’m kinda blown away with how she went away in the end.”
Honeysuckle - she is a special mare!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 1, 2019
🏇🏻 6 races
🥇 6 wins
🏆 Dual G1 winning hurdler
👸 A winning machine@rachaelblackmor & the @HenrydeBromhead-trained Honeysuckle run out easy winners of the G1 @BarOneRacing.com Hatton's Grace Hurdle @Fairyhouse pic.twitter.com/sOlX4jcGd8
Earlier on Sunday, Envoi Allen extended his own unbeaten record in similarly impressive fashion as he stayed on well under pressure to win the Grade 1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.
With Davy Russell on board, the 8/11 favourite led home a 1-2 for trainer Gordon Elliott, leading over the last and then doing enough to hold off the challenge of stablemate Abacadabras.
Envoi Allen - a horse with the world at his feet!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 1, 2019
🏇🏻 6 races
🥇 6 wins
🏆 G1 winning hurdler
🏆 G1 Champion Bumper hero
✅ He just keeps on winning
Envoi Allen sees off stablemate Abacadabras to land the G1 @BarOneRacing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle @Fairyhouse @gelliott_racing pic.twitter.com/SDBl3Xj0YY
And there was drama in Drinmore Novice Chase as Fakir D’Oudaries took the Grade 1 prize for Mark Walsh and Joseph O’Brien in the colours of JP McManus.
At 6/4, the four-year-old slightly shaded favouritism for this mouthwatering showdown with Samcro, and the two were neck and neck with little to choose between them when Samcro crashed out at the second last.
Ronald Pump was 22 lengths back in second with Burrows Saint third.
A dramatic Drinmore!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 1, 2019
🏇 Fakir D'oudairies
🏆 G1 @BarOneRacing.com Drinmore Novice Chase
✅ Unbeaten in two starts over fences
4-Y-O Fakir D'oudairies lands the Drinmore for @JosephOBrien2 & Mark Walsh as Samcro falls at the second-last @Fairyhouse pic.twitter.com/C135yRb5WD
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Well i answered 4 questions and got them all wrong, no need for me answer anymore.
Longford has a 100% record in All Ireland final too – they never lost a final..
I like the question about which team has a 100% record in All Ireland Football finals, I knew it but I’m from Limerick. It was the very 1st one as well.
2 stats that are great have associated with your county in their own right but probably not together.
0/12!!
I know you don’t want to appear controversial, but Michelle Smith still has her Olympic gold medals, knocking Pat and his hammer into second place?
4/12 and one was a guess… I didn’t study history for the LC, that’s my excuse!
Genuinly got 0 out of 12 bad instinct this week.
It’s Dr Pat O’Callaghan!
Oldest rugby player methinks is incorrect. Tony O Reilly played for Ireland in the 50′s/ 60′s/70′s
I have a feeling that there were more guys older than 36 !
Tony O’Reilly made his debut aged 18 in 1955 and his final appearance in 1970 aged 34. Younger than Paul O’Connell is now. Irelands oldest player was John Hayes who (god help him) played on until the age of 36.
7 out of 12 happy with that, some interesting questions there.
2 out of 12
how many counties have never had an all ireland final chance
how many counties have never had an opportunity to play in an all ireland final