Joy as fan favourite superstar mare delivers first foal

Fan favourite dual Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle has safely delivered her first foal.

The filly, by Walk In The Park, was born at 11.30pm on Good Friday (29 March), and mare and foal are both reported to be “doing well”.

Peter Molony, racing manager to Honeysuckle’s owner Kenny Alexander, shared photos of “little Honey” on X (formerly Twitter).

He said he had a “lovely welcome” on arriving to visit the pair at stud in Scotland, along with sweet pictures of the foal.

Honeysuckle bowed out after winning the Mares’ Hurdle at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, her 13th Grade One victory. It was her fourth consecutive Cheltenham Festival success and her 17th win from 19 starts in a glittering career, which featured back-to-back Champion Hurdle victories in 2021 and 2022 and more than £1.4m in prize money.

The British-bred mare, trained by Henry de Bromhead, was partnered by jockey Rachael Blackmore in every start under Rules. In the two races she was beaten, she still never finished lower than third.

Honeysuckle, who is by Sulamani and out of Lando mare First Royal, was bred at Glanvilles Stud in Dorset, which is run by Geoffrey Guy – also a major event horse owner/breeder and supporter of the equine world – and Doug and Lucy Proctor.

She is reportedly expected to visit Blue Bresil, sire of 2023 Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill, later this year.

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