THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 14-17 MARCH 2023
The race was over in a matter of strides once they had rounded the bend for home, all thanks to Honeysuckle’s devastating turn of foot
a once-in-a-lifetime horse and I’m so lucky to be riding her.” The excitement continues apace on the opening day, with two Grade Ones in the form of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle and the Sporting Life Arkle Novices’ Chase. And the Grade Two National Hunt Chase provides centre stage for the amateur riders in the final race on the card. By 5pm on Tuesday, it is time to take stock at the end of a thrilling day of racing… and to get ready to do it all again on Wednesday.
home, all thanks to Honeysuckle’s devastating turn of foot. Even Blackmore, a jockey who generally holds her cards close to her chest, could not hide her joy in the winner’s enclosure afterwards. She gushed: “She always finds a way, she really does. I was kind of wider than I’d have liked everywhere, and maybe wasn’t as happy halfway round, but I just slotted in and we got our gap then. It was fantastic. “Jockeys dream of getting on good horses, but she takes that to a whole new level. Honeysuckle is special – she’s
winning this for the first time in some style in 2021, with her jockey becoming the first female rider to win the race in the process. The pair returned this year, albeit with full knowledge that no mare had ever won the race more than once. However, there never seemed to be a moment of worry for de Bromhead’s charge, and although her rivals were able to finish closer than the six-and-a-half- length victory of 12 months earlier, the race was over in a matter of strides once they had rounded the bend for
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