Rachael Blackmore celebrates on A Plus Tard

A Plus Tard 'in great form' with Cheltenham Gold Cup defence on the horizon

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Mon February 06, 2023 · 3y ago

Speaking after racing on Sunday, Henry De Bromhead outlined the latest on some of his stable stars including reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard.

All eyes at Leopardstown on Sunday were on Honeysuckle, winner of the Unibet Champion Hurdle in 2021 and 2022, who contested the Grade One Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle.

Having been defeated for the first time in her career at Fairyhouse when third in the Grade One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in early December, Honeysuckle put up a stronger performance at Leopardstown but was still unable to overhaul 6/5 favourite State Man, finishing the four and three-quarter lengths runner-up under her regular partner Rachael Blackmore.

Speaking straight after the race, de Bromhead said: "I thought she ran really well and we’re happy with her. We don’t have to say anything about her courage or her attitude, she was brilliant all the way to the line.

“That (reception) is incredible, they’ve always been massive fans and that’s amazing, but that’s National Hunt racing through and through. He (State Man) looked very good. Obviously, there is also Constitution Hill in England but that’s not something I need to worry about too much, I will leave that up to them.”

As regards Honeysuckle’s future and whether she will race again, de Bromhead was non-committal.

He continued: “I’m not sure, I can’t answer that. The plan was to finish out this season, but we’ll see. It’s not for me to say, I’d prefer to speak to Kenny (Alexander, owner) and Peter (Molony, Racing Manager) and everybody - we’ll make a decision together.

“She has options, there is the Mares Hurdle as well as obviously which we’ve said all along. We’ll see."

Speaking later in the afternoon, de Bromhead elaborated further on the option of running Honeysuckle in the Grade One Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival – a race she won in 2020.

He said: “It’s not entirely down to my thinking, but my thinking would be if she was to go to Cheltenham, she would for me go for the Mares’ Hurdle. There is obviously Constitution Hill over there and State Man looked good.

"My job if we go to Cheltenham is to find the race that we have the best chance of winning. I am not saying it’s an easier race, or we are going to win it (the Mares’ Hurdle) but I think it’s fair to have we have a better chance of winning that race than the Champion Hurdle."

The last two renewals of the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup have gone to de Bromhead with Minella Indo in 2021 getting the better of A Plus Tard before the placings were reversed in 2022.

This season has seen Minella Indo make a winning reappearance in the Grade Three Savills New Year’s Day Chase at Tramore while A Plus Tard ran disappointingly when pulled-up in the Grade One Betfair Chase at Haydock in November before a late setback ruled him out of the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

The County Waterford handler said: “It was frustrating with A Plus Tard at Christmas but that’s what happened and we just have to deal with that. I would love to have had another run under his belt but we didn’t and he’ll go straight there. Touch wood, he seems great now.

"He wasn’t right when he came back from Haydock – it was too bad to be true – then he got a knock on the day of the Savills which was really frustrating.

"We are able to get him ready though and I saw him this morning and he was in great form, so we will just try and get him there as good as we can.

"Indo’s run was great in Tramore and we were delighted with him that day. Every year up to now we went to Cheltenham defending his form – when he won the Albert Bartlett (at 50-1 in 2019) he was a maiden and in the Brown Advisory he’d just got over the line in a beginners chase at Navan. But he’s incredible horse and when he gets to Cheltenham - he just loves it there.

"He’s 10 now and a bit older but was still second in the Gold Cup last year and is a previous winner. This year we worked backwards from the Gold Cup and it was Robbie (Power’s) suggestion to run at Tramore. The stats might be against him but he’s in mighty form."

Assessing the depth of this year’s Gold Cup field, de Bromhead said: "Galopin Des Champs looks very good. They said A Plus Tard was the third best winner in the last 40 years when he won it and Indo was very good too, plus there are others coming through."

In September last year, de Bromhead and his wife Heather tragically lost their 13-year-old son Jack, who was killed in a freak fall at Glenbeigh horse and pony races.

Reflecting on that tragedy, de Bromhead concluded: “The year I’ve had has put a lot of things in life into perspective. You are still under pressure (preparing horses for the Festival) but you have a different perspective on life. The support we get is incredible. It was very kind of Michael O’Leary to name the mares’ novices’ hurdle at the Festival after Jack."

This year de Bromhead expects his team for the Festival to number between 16 and 20, with other contenders likely to include Inthepocket (Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle), Magical Zoe (Jack de Bromhead Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) and Hiddenvalleylake (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle).

The trainer also revealed that Ain't That A Shame will be entered for the Randox Grand National – entries for which are revealed on Tuesday (February 7).

De Bromhead has trained 18 winners and The Festival in total. He also saddled the 2021 Grand National winner Minella Times.

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