Has Honeysuckle surprised me? She probably has a bit’

The natural pessimist in Henry De Bromhead may not be looking towards the Dublin Racing Festival with great expectation, but everyone else who knows or is associated with the yard is more than entitled to hold an entirely different view.

Honeysuckle, Notebook, Chris’s Dream, Aspire Tower, A Plus Tard, Cobblers Way, Paloma Blue, Jason The Militant, Myth Buster and Ellie Mac — to provide just a sample — are not just recreational runners at the festival: They are genuine players who should ensure that the stable’s disappointment at last year’s two-day meeting is consigned to history.