RUBY WALSH is sweet on the chances of Honeysuckle retaining her Champion Hurdle title.
The brilliant mare is unbeaten in 16 career starts – but last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Constitution Hill is ahead of her in the Champion Hurdle betting.
That has come as a surprise to many, including legendary jockey turned pundit Walsh.
Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill is the current 5-4 favourite with Paddy Power for the big race at the Cheltenham Festival, with Honeysuckle next best at 7-2.
The former beat the likes of Jonbon and Dysart Dynamo by 22 lengths in the Supreme back in March – in a time five seconds quicker than Honeysuckle's second Champion Hurdle victory.
But Walsh reckons the Supreme fell into Constitution Hill's lap because his rivals went too fast in the early part of the race.
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And he reckons the young pretender has it all to do to lower the colours of Henry de Bromhead's wonder mare.
Walsh said: "Constitution Hill won a really good Supreme in a really good time but a race that ultimately fell apart I think.
"He maintained that he kept it going but Jonbon and Dysart Dynamo took each other on and he just sat behind and let them at it, kept it up and they fell apart.
"She’s won the Champion Hurdle – I think her time was a good bit slower because I think it was a slower race all the way.
"It was slower in every part including the finish – you have no doubt about her stamina, I’d say if you got into a Champion Hurdle where they went as hard as they went in this year’s Supreme, I think it would suit Honeysuckle down to the ground as well.
"He’s a very good horse but I’m not going away from her – I think she’s outstanding."
Constitution Hill is due to make his seasonal comeback in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot later this month.
And Honeysuckle will kick off her season in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on November 27 – a race she has won three years in a row.
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