Cheltenham Festival 2022: Day one - Honeysuckle can retain Champion Hurdle crown

can successfully defend her crown in the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30pm), the feature on the opening day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.

County Waterford handler Henry De Bromhead’s star mare was victorious in the Grade One contest on day one last year, helping Rachael Blackmore become the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle – and start off a spectacular month for the Tipperary-born rider.

And they can bring up back-to-back victories back at Prestbury Park.

De Bromhead’s mare Honeysuckle is unbeaten in 14 starts over hurdles, 10 at Grade One level. And since her superb six-and-a-half length success in last year's Champion Hurdle she has landed a third victory in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse and a third successive triumph in the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

She now goes in search of a third Cheltenham Festival success – she also won the Mares' Hurdle over 2m4f in 2020.

A slick jumper, who invariably travels superbly, with a turn of foot there are just no flaws in Honeysuckle's armoury.

If there is one banker of the meeting, it's surely this mare. And although you won't get rich backing her, barring something going untoward, she is sure to stretch her unbeaten run to 15.

Willie Mullins' – who won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last year – is clearly a talented individual. But not having run since that success, it would be a huge surprise if he got the better of Honeysuckle.

And that just won't happen.

Mullins has another formidable team heading to Prestbury Park and he could land another top trainers' trophy by the end of the week.

And his , unbeaten in three starts over fences, can provide him with at least one winner on the opening day in the Grade One Sporting Life Arkle