Honeysuckle v Constitution Hill: will it happen and who will come out on top?

Nothing would delight jumps fans more on the eve of the Qipco 2,000 Guineas than a clash between Honeysuckle and Constitution Hill at Punchestown.

One is the unbeaten winner of all her 15 races under rules, who has landed the last two runnings of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. The other is the hugely exciting five-year-old who demolished the opposition with a 22-length victory in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle earlier that afternoon and signalled himself the obvious challenger to her crown.

The pair could take each other on in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown, and the sponsors have done their best to encourage Constitution Hill to take his chance by offering a €100,000 bonus to a British winner.

Constitution Hill: was hugely impressive in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Will it happen?

The Paddy Power Champion Hurdle is the obvious target for Honeysuckle. She followed up her first Champion Hurdle win with another success at Punchestown.

Although jockey Rachael Blackmore felt "she was feeling the season a little bit", the mare never really looked like surrendering her unbeaten record at the festival, and her 2021-22 campaign has been no more arduous than last season's was.

Constitution Hill has a choice of engagements. He does not have to take on Honeysuckle and could tackle fellow first-season hurdlers in the Bective Stud Champion Novice Hurdle three days earlier for which he would be red-hot favourite to land another Grade 1 success if he were aimed at the race.

His owner Michael Buckley is said to be keener on a crack at the Champion, with trainer Nicky Henderson preferring the novice route.

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What they say

Buckley fancies a crack at Honeysuckle with Constitution Hill, and said: "In my whole life I've never been shy of having a go at things."

Henderson is less keen to take the plunge, and said: "I think everybody knows who wants to go where. I'm more conservative than Michael, put it like that.

"I'm all for keeping novices in novice company. He's only five. That is not to say it's an impossibility. I know Michael is dying to have a crack at Honeysuckle, I just feel there is plenty of time for that to happen."

Henry de Bromhead has no choice of race for Honeysuckle and appears to be relishing the prospect of a head-to-head.

Asked about the potential clash, he said: "It would be brilliant. It's what racing is about and I think it would be fantastic. If Michael is brave enough to take us on, fair play to him."

Honeysuckle: star mare could face a big challenge from Constitution Hill at PunchestownCredit: Edward Whitaker

What do the ratings say?

For all her unbeaten record, Honeysuckle has not yet proved herself an outstanding Champion Hurdle winner.

The highest Racing Post Rating she has achieved is 165, posted in her wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown last spring.

However, as a mare she receives a 7lb allowance and that makes her hard to beat.

But the handicapper would suggest Constitution Hill has prospects of succeeding where all others have failed.

He ran to an RPR of 172 when winning the Supreme, which means he would be rated Honeysuckle's equal once the mares' allowance is taken into account.

How do they bet?

Honeysuckle is a best-priced 8-13 favourite for the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle with Constitution Hill offered at 7-4, but that is due to doubts over his participation and those odds would surely tumble were he announced a definite runner.

What the tipster says

Honeysuckle is on home soil, she is unbeaten and she gets 7lb from a novice who is only five so it is going to take something extraordinary from Constitution Hill to beat her.

That is not to say Constitution Hill is not extraordinary and he might well be, but if Honeysuckle runs to an RPR of 165, as she did in the race last year when slowing right up into the last, the apprentice will have run to a mark of 172 to beat the master. That is a big ask for one so young.

If Constitution Hill runs, Honeysuckle will be about 4-5 or 10-11, and that would probably represent a bit of value on the day.
David Jennings, deputy Ireland editor

Read these next:

Constitution Hill v Honeysuckle: who would win in a showdown?

Constitution Hill smashes course record with 'staggering' Supreme success

The truth is out now – Honeysuckle is one of the best we have ever seen

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