Champion Hurdle entries: exquisite shortlist headed by Honeysuckle

The first Cheltenham Festival roar of the year emanated from punters on Tuesday when unbeaten mare Honeysuckle featured among 23 mouthwatering entries for the 2022 Champion Hurdle, the standout contest on the opening day of March's showpiece jumps meeting. 

It is rare for any horse, even a champion, to regularly perform with the dominance shown by Honeysuckle, who has recorded an astonishing nine Grade 1 victories in her 13-race career under rules. Legendary status is hard to acquire and she remains inferior to the great Night Nurse and Istabraq on ratings, but the Henry de Bromhead-trained eight-year-old is rapidly acquiring the credentials to be considered one of the all-time leading hurdlers.

Honeysuckle already boasts the longest unbeaten winning streak in jumps racing history and, by the time she lines up in front of a packed Cheltenham crowd in March, she may have equalled Frankel’s perfect 14-race tally with the Irish Champion Hurdle (February 6) at Leopardstown confirmed as her next competitive start.

De Bromhead has opted for a tried-and-trusted schedule - and why not? Everyone knows not to change something that isn’t broken. A ten-length thrashing of subsequent Aintree Hurdle winner Abacadabras at Leopardstown last year proved to be the perfect preparation before Honeysuckle’s demolition job in the Champion Hurdle. Groundhog day may await, and a shade of odds-on to retain her Cheltenham crown is more than justified.

McManus and Mullins have strong hand

Sharjah and Epatante, who finished second and third behind Honeysuckle last year, were also among the entries after Grade 1 wins this term. While the presence of dual winner Buveur D’Air, who hasn't been seen since last April, and 2020 County Hurdle scorer Saint Roi strengthens the hand of leading owner JP McManus, who won the Champion Hurdle in 2014 (Jezki) and 2019 (Espoir D'Allen) with runners carrying his second silks.

But perhaps the most intriguing entry is Appreciate It, who justified strong market support to win the 2021 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle by 24 lengths and hasn’t been seen since. Plans to embark on a chasing career were halted earlier this season with trainer Willie Mullins deciding to keep the imposing son of Jeremy over timber. The sky is the limit for Appreciate It and his untapped potential provides a fresh angle in the two-mile hurdling division. Competing against Honeysuckle will be the ultimate test of his ability.