'It was always going to happen some day' - Honeysuckle thwarted by Teahupoo

Sunday: Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle, Fairyhouse

They say that no success or defeat is necessarily final, but Honeysuckle needed to send a message to the precocious young pretender on her traditional Fairyhouse reappearance, and for the first time in her glorious career she was found wanting.

Bidding for what would have been a historic fourth Bar One Hatton's Grace Hurdle, she led two out and Rachael Blackmore's body language didn't suggest there was anything too urgent amiss.

However, waiting to play their hands in the redoubtable duo's slipstream were Klassical Dream under Paul Townend and the Jack Kennedy-ridden Teahupoo.

By the time they took off at the final obstacle, both had swept by Honeysuckle on the outside. The great mare refused to yield and briefly looked like she might find enough to reel them in, but it wasn't to be.

Kennedy, who is riding like a man possessed, came widest of all and got Teahupoo's neck in front of Klassical Dream's about 50 yards from the post. It was a triumph that crowned a wonderful day for him and Gordon Elliott, yet it felt like a mere footnote.

An equine heroine had been slain, and a stunned silence fell over the 7,444 in attendance at Fairyhouse. No-one saw this coming.

Four years after making her track debut at her beloved Fairyhouse, Honeysuckle's flawless sequence of victories came to an abrupt end on her 17th outing. It was a bitterly cold and wet winter's afternoon that saw the ground deteriorate to a sodden quagmire, but such variables never troubled her before. She is fallible after all.

Honeysuckle went out on her shield, as you would expect of an equine colossus whose iron will has carried her into such an exalted realm. However, that was of little consolation to Blackmore and trainer Henry de Bromhead. This one hurt.

They put on brave faces, but Honeysuckle's dependability has long been a source of comforting reassurance.

The reality of that solace being dismantled before their eyes in such unequivocal fashion could not be disguised.

"It was always going to happen some day, that's unfortunately the reality of it," said a visibly dejected De Bromhead, who was unable to put his finger on why the mare's record had come undone.

"It's a horserace," he added phlegmatically. "Unfortunately she got beaten and that's it, but we've had some run with her for so long. We have had some go and it's not over either.

"She has been incredible and fair play to the winner, I'm delighted for them."

A delighted Jack Kennedy celebrates after Teahupoo's defeat of HoneysuckleCredit: Patrick McCann

Blackmore was similarly disconsolate. Again, she couldn't articulate why Honeysuckle's trademark of finding a way deserted her.

"It's just very disappointing," she said after taking third, a couple of lengths behind Klassical Dream. "She has been incredible and it's just disappointing that this day had to come."

Returned at an SP of 4-11, Honeysuckle was the shortest-priced beaten favourite in this Grade 1 since a certain Istabraq was thwarted by Limestone Lad at odds of 1-7 in 1999.

If this were a human competitor, we might be musing that all the talk about a March showdown with Constitution Hill at Cheltenham had distracted from this more immediate challenge. Horses are immune to such psychological failings, but it felt like Honeysuckle had been blindsided.

Constitution Hill was duly cut to 2-7 from 4-7 by Coral to take her Champion Hurdle crown. The same firm doubled Honeysuckle's odds to 8-1 to complete the hat-trick in the Cotswolds.

Teahupoo's price for the two-mile showpiece tumbled as well, but the fact he is still as big as 25-1 would suggest we might not have seen the best of Honeysuckle here. Time will tell whether that is a temporary thing or something more final.

Elliott, who had four winners on the day and was denied a Grade 1 treble by a head when Irish Point – also sporting Teahupoo's Robcour colours – was foiled by Marine Nationale in the Royal Bond, wasn't apologising for masterminding the downfall of a national treasure. That's his job and he isn't in the business of standing on ceremony for anyone.

"Honeysuckle is unbelievable and it's sad to see her beaten, but there is no taking away from the winner," he said after welcoming back Teahupoo, the 20-1 shot adding to the stable's three wins in the race with Apple's Jade.

"It's Brian Acheson's and Robcour's day so they should enjoy it. Our horse was probably under the radar a bit, but I wouldn't mind a few more like him."

Acheson, despite the weather, was basking in the glory of this scalp.

"I'm in shock – genuinely," he said. "I thought the mare was unbeatable, I really did.

"If Honey was to lose, I wanted it to be us to beat her, but there is a tinge of sadness that her run is broken. I just hope she comes back now and beats the crap out of Constitution Hill!"

That's for another day, although it's a discussion that takes on a new dimension because now we know that even Honey nods. That doesn't mean she is finished – and it's a reminder they can all be beaten.

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