Ruby Walsh: Title hopes fade but Honeysuckle can give Rachael Blackmore compensation
Rachael Blackmore is unseated from Captain Guiness in the Ryanair Novice Chase trophy. Picture: Brian Lawless
Henry De Bromhead hinted, in the aftermath of Minella Times’s Randox Aintree Grand National success, that perhaps Lady Luck was starting to desert him, and I think he and Rachael Blackmore could be feeling the very same way this morning.
Low Lie The Fields, at 18-1, was second in the first race on Wednesday, Henry’s closest finish on the first two days of racing at Punchestown. Rachael finished second on Allaho, behind Chacun Pour Soi on Tuesday, her closest finish over the first two days too. And their closest finishing position together was with Decimation on Wednesday evening when he finished a remote third to Lifetime Ambition.
Today they combined on four occasions - Henry had nine runners in total and Rachael had six rides -yet the ball didn’t bounce for either of them. In the first, Shakeytry travelled well for Rachael until the home turn but then faded to finish 12th.
In the second they teamed up with Raya Time who ran a blinder from well off the pace to finish second to Sully D’Oc AA, while Henry also had Epson Du Houx (sixth), Capuccimix (ninth) and Paloma Blue (13th).
They both skipped the La Touché before Rachael teamed up with French Dynamite in the fifth. Realistically, a place chance, at best, was all he had and that’s what he achieved, finishing fourth behind Klassical Dream, before outsider Baptism Of Fire represented the duo in the fifth. After being well positioned early, he faded from two out but only ran as his price suggested and probably as was expected.
With only three races left, Captain Guinness went out to try and make it third time lucky against Energumene, where Henry had Zarkareva as outside backup. But, as the four horses went to post, the De Bromhead runners were the outsiders in the betting. They almost finished third and fourth, but a very weary Captain Guinness unseated Rachael at the last.
However, their only real chance of a winner was in the seventh, with Magical Daze, and Henry had one more live one in the last, with Grand Jury. Magic Daze bucked out to make all but it’s possible her Cheltenham exploits took their toll as she faded off the bend and Rachael’s champion jockey hopes disappeared too as Paul Townend stretched his lead to eight.
The form of the stable that any jockey is riding for is the key to the success they will have, and I was blessed to have had two jobs for a large part of my career that seemed to dovetail their hot streaks in perfect harmony for my benefit.
However, no string of horses is red-hot all the time and ahead of this evening’s big races, in which Henry has the two odds-on favourites, the form of his stable will be questioned. Friday’s child is warm and giving, but Friday’s racing won’t be forgiving.
Honeysuckle has undoubtedly been the shining star in the hurdling division this season, winning three Grade 1s from three runs, each performance better than the one before.
Her Leopardstown demolition job in the Irish Champion Hurdle was merely a warning shot for the authority she showed over her rivals at Prestbury Park and, on all lines of form you can track, trace or even invent for Friday's Paddy Power Punchestown Champion Hurdle, she comes out on top.
Some people will be concerned about the performances of those stabled in Knockeen alongside her this week but perhaps they have expected too much of them, and maybe they have performed just fine. After all, in the last 14 days and before racing started Thursday, Henry had trained five winners and had nine placed horses from 42 runners.
Are they just under-priced because of the respect most punters and bookmakers now give Henry and Rachael? I know how people in their shoes feel and the monkey of having drawn a blank in the first three days at a festival like this will be swinging from their backs this morning.
They just need to remember, form is temporary and class is permanent. Honeysuckle is the best horse in the race and the great ones always come to your rescue.
However, the Epatante camp will feel they should have at least gotten closer to Honeysuckle at Cheltenham after she found herself trapped in a pocket behind Silver Streak, Aspire Tower and Sharjah coming away from the second-last hurdle. And she only got out when Honeysuckle had disappeared into the distance. I feel she is the biggest danger, but she does need Honeysuckle to underperform in order to turn the tables.
The other hot-pot Henry and Rachael have is Bob Olinger, duelling for champion novice status alongside Appreciate It right now. Without doubt, he is one of the horses many will dream about through the summer in anticipation of his novice chasing career next season. But he, too, has got to go and do it this evening.
If Honeysuckle wins earlier on the card, then Bob will contract in price, but if she loses, he could easily drift. But he can underperform by more than her and still win. Gaillard Du Mesnil chased him home at Cheltenham and I don’t believe there was any excuse for him, so I can’t see why I should be making a strong case for him now.
One other trainer who could be in for a great start to the weekend is Joseph O’Brien. He probably has his eyes focussed on Newmarket by now but Keskonrisk, Fils D’oudairies and Scarlet And Dove can give him a reason to splash open the Fanta earlier than he might have expected.
Honeysuckle, 5:25 Punchestown
Keskonrisk, 7:05 Punchestown
