Honeysuckle on course for motherhood

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle is reported to be embracing potential motherhood after a positive update about her new broodmare career.

The daughter of Sulamani dominated on the track over the course of her racing campaign, bringing the house down when bowing out with an emotional fourth Cheltenham Festival victory in the Mares’ Hurdle this March.

However, as soon as the dust settled on that triumphant farewell, she left Henry de Bromhead’s Knockeen training grounds to embark on the next stage of her career and in May was discovered to be in foal to Walk In The Park, having been sent to the star National Hunt sire for her maiden cover.

Although the foal’s due date remains the best part of five months away, the journey so far has gone well and, following a scan in early October, anticipation builds ahead of the arrival of Honeysuckle’s first progeny.

“She’s good and still in foal,” said Peter Molony, racing manager to owner Kenny Alexander and at whose Rathmore Stud in County Limerick Honeysuckle currently resides.

“She was in foal on October 1 and she is due in April next spring, so fingers crossed, everything crossed, everything will be good.

“It’s so far, so good and all seems fine with her so far.”