Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard in the mix for Horse of the Year Award

The Henry de Bromhead-trained pair face competition from Energumene and Allaho as well as Flat representatives Kyprios and State Of Rest

GOLDEN COUPLE: Rachael Blackmore celebrates after winning the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle at the Cheltenham Festival last March. Both horse and jockey could be rewarded for another stunning year at next month's HRI awards. Picture: Healy Racing

Unbeaten Champion hurdle heroine Honeysuckle and runaway Cheltenham Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard are among six horses in the mix to be named Horse of the Year at the 2022 Horse Racing Ireland awards which will be presented at a ceremony in Dublin on December 5.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained pair face competition from Energumene, who gave Willie Mullins a first Champion Chase success at the Cheltenham Festival last March, and his Closutton stablemate Allaho, an emphatic winner of the Ryanair Chase for the second successive year.