Irish Champion Hurdle Entries: Honeysuckle among 12 entries for Dublin Racing Festival feature
Honeysuckle, who is a red-hot favourite for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March, is set to try and land a hat-tricks of Irish Champion Hurdles on day two of Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival, as she features among 12 entries received for the Grade 1 showpiece on February 7...
A runaway 10-length winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle last season, Honeysuckle then went on to storm to Champion Hurdle glory at Cheltenham, and the unbeaten Henry De Bromhead-trained superstar is set to take a similar path in 2022, as she is the star attraction in the list of entries for the Irish Champion Hurdle.
One of two De Bromhead-trained runners in the 12-strong entry list (De Bromhead has also entered 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios), Honeysuckle will be eager to maintain her 100% record, and having obliterated her rivals in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse earlier in the season, then it will be no shock to see her sent off a red-hot favourite for the Irish Grade 1, as she looks to cement her place at the summit of the Champion Hurdle betting.
Willie Mullins trained the mighty Hurricane Fly to a sensational five victories in this race and he has four entries in the race, with the most eye-catching being that of last year's imperious Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Appreciate It, who has yet to be seen since his Cheltenham win, but shaped like he could be a real class act. Adding more depth to the Mullins charge, multiple Grade 1 winner Sharjah, Saint Roi and Echoes In Rain all add quality to the list of entries.
Gordon Elliott, who saddled Apple's Jade to Irish Champion Hurdle success in 2019, has five of the 12 entries and the Cullentra House team are spearheaded by the proven Grade 1 winner Abacadabras, while Saint Felicien, Zanahiyr and Teahupoo will be another top notch trio of performers.
Shock 2021 Coral Cup winner Heaven Help Us has been entered by Paul Hennessy, and he could well find this Grade 1 assignment a little hot, but he could well be using it as a springboard to a Cheltenham handicap or Mares' Hurdle come March.
2022 Irish Champion Hurdle Entries
- Abacadabras
- Appreciate It
- Petit Mouchoir
- Quilixios
- Saint Felicien
- Saint Roi
- Sharjah
- Teahupoo
- Zanahiyr
- Echoes In Rain
- Heaven Help Us
- Honeysuckle
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