Paddy Power have confirmed that they will pay Honeysuckle a £100,000 bonus if she beats Constitution Hill at the Punchestown Festival.
Earlier this week, the betting firm put up a £100k bonus for any UK raider who can beat the ‘Queen Of The Jumps’, in her own backyard in a bid to lure Constitution Hill and other worthy contenders across the Irish Sea for the epic duel on Friday April 29.
But many were left flabbergasted when racing manager Peter Molony tagged Honeysuckle’s trainer Henry De Bromhead and jockey Rachael Blackmore in a tweet yesterday evening suggesting they might yank the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle heroine out of the race.
He wrote: “Come on @Paddy Power. You’ll give Constitution Hill a £100k bonus if he wins the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle but not us!??!! No money. No honey.”
However, Paddy Power threw down a further gauntlet when Honeysuckle’s connections publicly challenged the bookie.
Late last night the betting firm’s social media team bit back, posting a response that led with the words ‘NO CLASH, NO CASH.’
In addition, they wrote: “Alright Team Honeysuckle, you’re on. Give the people what they want and take on Constitution Hill in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. If he shows up, and you beat him, we’ll give you our £100k bonus. #NoExcuses #HoneyTrap.”
The rebuke further fanned the flames, with horse racing followers begging connections of both horses on either side of the Irish Sea to make ‘The Match’ happen.
Commenting this morning on the bizarre altercation that played out via social media, spokesman Paddy Power said: “I never thought I’d find myself trash talking with horse racing heavyweights, not to mention doing it in rhyme.
“But the fact is, we’ve done everything in our power to make this blockbuster contest between two superstar racehorses happen for fans who so desperately want to see the modern-day version of the legendary 1986 battle between Dawn Run and Buck House – dubbed the race that split the nation.
“Of course, without Constitution Hill, it will be a bitter pill…okay, I’ll stop now. We just need trainer Henderson and their camp's commitment that Constitution Hill will run in our race to keep this poetry in motion!”
The dramatic plot twist means that if any UK trained racehorse beats Honeysuckle in the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle, they’ll be guaranteed the £100k bonus.
However, for Honeysuckle to land the additional six-figure sum, on top of Paddy Power’s prizemoney, Constitution Hill needs to take her on in the Grade 1 feature boasting a prize pot totalling €300k.
For the latest betting on the Paddy Power Champion Hurdle, see here.
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