Boosted Weekend Ante-Post Double - 23/11/21

WEEKEND ANTE-POST DOUBLE!!!😍

william_hill

EPATANTE (FIGHTING FIFTH) & HONEYSUCKLE (HATTON'S GRACE) BOTH TO WIN @ 5/2

Newcastle - November 27 2021
Newcastle 15:15
6
Aidan Coleman

Epatante

J:
 
Aidan Coleman
T:
 
Nicky Henderson
Age: 7
Weight: 11-0
OR: 154
Days: 211

The JP McManus owned superstar has been seen 10 times since coming to England under the Seven Barrows handler and has gone on to land six of her races, including three Grade One events.

Two seasons ago the British raider started off in the Gerry Feilden Intermediate Hurdle at Newbury and then on her final start before Cheltenham landing the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

This set her up perfectly for the Champion Hurdle when going off favourite and under a cool ride by Barry Geraghty went on to land the prestigious event with ease.

She was the mare to beat in the two mile hurdling division heading into last season and cemented that thought on seasonal debut when landing the Grade One Fighting Fifth, never coming off the Bridle.

However, from there her season went downhill, being dethroned by Silver Streak in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle and then being well beaten into third in her title defence of the Champion Hurdle.

She was last seen in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle, again finishing third behind Honeysuckle and Sharjah.

The seven year old this season is looking to get back to the top of the division and she was recently seen in a team of five at Newbury for some much-needed work on turf which he has been tricky to do at home due to the dry autumn.

Primed for a big run.

DateCourseDistanceTypeWeightPosition
29/04/23PUN19Gd/Y11-74
13/04/23AIN20GS11-34
14/03/23CHL20Sft11-58
28/01/23DON16.5Gd11-81
26/12/22KEM16Sft11-32

Honeysuckle - Hatton's Grace Hurdle

Honeysuckle looks to be the one to beat once again in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle going for her third consecutive win in the Grade One and over she has been a star for the yard.

The Kenneth Alexander-owned seven-year-old has claimed 13 wins in a row, if including her point to point race, and now has managed to land seven Grade One races.

She headed to Fairyhouse on her seasonal debut in defence of her Hatton's Grace title and in gritty and determined fashion she managed to hold on close to the line.

Given some time to improve for that run, she then went back to Leopardstown to defend her Irish Champion Hurdle title and in emphatic style she landed the event by 10 lengths.

That was arguably one of the performances of the season and with her jumping quicker and showing clear speed over two miles, she looked the real deal.

It was thought that run would be hard to top, but she did just that at the Cheltenham festival when making it back to back wins at the meeting when landing the Grade One Champion Hurdle.

The super-mare rounded off the year at the Punchestown festival when winning another Champion Hurdle and it would take a seriously good performance from another horse to beat her.

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing