Honeysuckle headlines Champion Hurdle entries

Honeysuckle heads 23 entries for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Henry de Bromhead’s brilliant mare is already odds-on to retain her title and extend her perfect record under Rules which stands at 13 after she made a successful reappearance in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in November.

She is likely to head to Leopardstown next month in search of a third successive Irish Champion Hurdle before going back to Cheltenham. De Bromhead also has last year’s Triumph Hurdle victor Quilixios and Aspire Tower in the list.

Leading the likely opposition is the Nicky Henderson-trained Epatante, who was third last spring having lifted the crown in 2020.

The eight-year-old mare has made a good start to this campaign with a dead-heat in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and outright victory in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. Henderson also has Buveur D’Air, winner in 2017 and 2018.

Sharjah, second to Honeysuckle in 2021 and to Epatante in 2020, is likely to try to go one better after his fourth consecutive win in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas.

His trainer Willie Mullins has a total of four entries, including Appreciate It, who has not raced since winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival, plus Saint Roi and Echoes In Rain.

Fellow Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has four possibles — Abacadabras, Saint Felicien, Teahupoo and Zanahiyr.

Honeysuckle is odds-on at 8-11 with bookmaker Coral to defend her crown. Appreciate It is second best at 6-1, while former champion Epatante and Sharjah are both 8-1.

**Unibet Champion Hurdle