Honeysuckle got the better of odds-on favourite Benie Des Dieux to maintain her unbeaten record in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
On a fine day for trainer Henry De Bromhead - who won the Racing Post Arkle with Put The Kettle On earlier on the card - Honeysuckle justified connections' decision to stick to the mares' route rather than head for the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
The Irish Champion Hurdle heroine jumped boldly throughout and although Paul Townend tracked her down the hill on Benie Des Dieux as the big two took command of the race, Honeysuckle's sharp injection of speed as they rounded for home was deeply impressive.
They set down to battle on the rise to the line and after Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore saw a long stride to take the final flight in style, she knuckled down to win by half a length, with Elfile back in third at 16/1.
It was a third Cheltenham Festival success for Blackmore, who struck twice at the big meeting 12 months ago through A Plus Tard and Minella Indo.
De Bromhead said: "They are two amazing ladies. It was a great bit of race-riding to nip up the inside when Paul opted to go wide and it looks like it won her the race. Rachael had to sit and suffer for a bit, but when the gap appeared she was gone.
"She really toughed it out up the hill. She gets from A to B over her hurdles and that's it. We never try to find out too much at home, but she has always looked nice and came to us highly recommended after winning her point.
"I don't know about chasing, we haven't even touched on that. It's all been about this week.
"I always question myself, but she seems as good over two miles and further and goes on all ground.
"She really battled and threw herself at the last. Whatever about the mare, the lady on her back is something special - the pair of them are brilliant."
He added: "You can't think, 'I wish we'd run her in the Champion' - we've just won the Mares' Hurdle. They quickened away from her for a few strides, so what might they have done in a Champion? "We're delighted."
Blackmore said: "This means so much, this mare is so special. They've done an unbelievable job with her, Henry has produced her in tip-top shape every time she runs, so I'm just the lucky one that gets to steer her round. She's unbelievable.
"This is brilliant, it's a big week and I'm delighted. They (Festival winners) get better nearly, you kind of realise that they're so hard to get.
"I'm so lucky to be riding all of these horses, it's brilliant."
Mullins was left slightly wondering what might have been.
He said: "I'm a little dazed, I just think there was miscommunication turning for home. Maybe Robbie (on stablemate Stormy Ireland) thought one of our horses was behind him rather than Honeysuckle.
"It look like he gifted the winner a huge gap while Paul had to come round the outside. There you, are things happen. She ran well. Elfile ran well and Stormy didn't go fast enough, she should have been going much faster to take the sting out of them.
"They went no pace and I think Stormy should have gone faster, as she is better doing that. Hopefully we will get a turn at some stage. We've gone up and down in trip with her and she has won over three miles before, but today wasn't a reflection of the trip, it was just how the race unfolded."
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