Nicky Henderson: Michael Buckley well up for Honeysuckle clash
Constitution Hill ran away with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
A sensational showdown between Honeysuckle and Constitution Hill at Punchestown next month is a very real possibility, Nicky Henderson has said.
While Constitution Hill, a brilliant winner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last week, will be also be entered in the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle, the prospect of a mouthwatering clash with the unbeaten Honeysuckle in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle, first mooted by owner Michael Buckley before their Cheltenham Festival successes, is a truly thrilling one for racing fans.
“I’m afraid Michael seems to have taken up the mantle,” Henderson said. “I’ve just been reading the reports! I know he’s very keen to take on Honeysuckle. I should think it’s quite likely he will get an entry in the Champion Hurdle as it keeps the options open.”
Henderson added: “Michael is a great sportsman and nothing will scare him off, that’s for sure. So we shall see.
“He’s inexperienced but he’s very straightforward. He’s the same as Honeysuckle like that, isn’t he? She’s a push-button machine.”
Constitution Hill was awesome at Cheltenham and would surely be a huge threat to Honeysuckle if he rocks up in the same form next month.
However, Henderson knows from experience the toll such a mammoth effort can take.
“This was the case when Sprinter Sacre came to Ireland,” he recalled. Barry Geraghty always said to me: ‘You had him at 100% for Cheltenham, he was on 90% at Aintree and he was on 80% at Punchestown.’
“You thought he was having easy races but he’s not, because he’s putting an awful lot of nervous energy, adrenaline and so on into it. He psyches himself up and they have to. That’s why they’re so good.
“They don’t just saunter around and think: ‘Oh that was easy, I’ll go back to bed now.’ It takes much more out of them, you’d never believe it.”
Reflecting on that memorable 2013 trip to Punchestown, Henderson felt Sprinter Sacre was “over the top” when beating a 12-year-old Sizing Europe by five and a half lengths.
However, the memory of the reception that greeted Sprinter Sacre remains.
“It was amazing. You don’t normally see a French-bred horse trained in England get such an ovation. The crowd was absolutely incredible and it was a very special day.”
Should Constitution Hill be pitched in at the deep end at Punchestown, he’ll have more than just Honeysuckle to worry about as Champion Hurdle runner-up Epatante is also set to make the journey from Seven Barrows.
“She’s had a good year. She’s won a Fighting Fifth and a Christmas Hurdle and now second in the Champion Hurdle. Only Honeysuckle could beat her. She will almost certainly come over. We have discussed Aintree but it’s two and a half and she doesn’t want two and a half. She’s all about speed.”
Speaking of further possible visitors, Henderson added: “There’s nothing obvious for Marie’s Rock in Aintree so I’d say she’ll go somewhere in Punchestown. What Jonbon does will probably depend on what Constitution Hill does.
“Walking On Air may go to Punchestown after missing Cheltenham. He’s pretty smart and has come back really well.”
