Cheltenham Festival kicked off on Tuesday and it was the perfect day for a few lucky punters who pocketed a share of Paddy’s £/€50k jackpot.
And in a picture perfect moment it was racing’s queen Honeysuckle who won the fifth and final race to fill our player’s pockets.
The Mares’ Hurdle was the final race in the competition on day one and and it left every racing fan – and our Pick 5 winners – dreaming of Honeysuckle bolting up with Rachael Blackmore on board – and she did just that!
Honeysuckle finished one and a half lengths ahead of Love Envoi to secure her 16th win out of 18 runs for Henry De Bromhead and has now earned herself a long and enjoyable retirement.
Enter Wednesday’s game (below) for your chance to win £/€50k.
Many were writing Honeysuckle off (yes Matt Chapman we’re looking at you!) after her defeats at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown, but she showed true grit today to grind it out and win the Mares Hurdle for the second time in here career.
Our bright bettors set off on the right foot in the first race by backing Marine Nationale at 9/2 against the favourite Facile Vega. The Barry Connell runner bounded up the hill and ended up winning by just over three lengths.
Attention then turned to the 14:10, which looked a two-horse race between El Fabiolo and Jonbon. Willie Mullins’ gelding El Fabiolo shortened in the betting leading up to the race and the market proved correct as he won by five lengths ahead of Nicky Henderson’s runner.
We then had the wide open Ultima Handicap at 14:50 but it was last year’s winner Corach Rambler, who flew home again at 6/1.
All eyes were then on Constitution Hill – could racing’s superstar win the Champion Hurdle?
He could and did. Nico de Boinville and Constitution Hill cruised home nine lengths ahead of State Man in second.
That was four down, one to go. All the attention was on Honeysuckle and she blew the roof off the place to leave our winners jumping for joy.
If you’re feeling a bit jealous, don’t worry. Paddy is offering up another £/€50k jackpot each day for the next three days of the Festival.
And you can enter the Day 2 game right over HERE.
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