Rachael Blackmore has penned an emotional goodbye to Honeysuckle just under two weeks after the supermare's last ever run - and win - at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Tipperary jockey guided Honeysuckle to her fourth consecutive victory at the famous meeting in the Mares' Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival.
Backed into the 9/4 joint-favourite, the nine-year-old showed great grit, class and determination to get her head in front against Love Envoi much to the delight of the 60,000 punters in attendance.
READ MORE: Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle provide Henry de Bromhead with emotional win
Paying tribute to Honeysuckle, Blackmore thanked the horse's trainer Henry de Bromhead, owner Kenny Alexander, the horse herself, racing fans and Jack de Bromhead, who tragically lost his life following a fall in a pony race last September.
She wrote in her Betfair column: "For me, gratitude from every angle is the overwhelming feeling when it comes to the story of Honeysuckle.
"An impressive winner of a point-to-point in Dromahane for Mark O'Hare, she was liked by Henry, Heather and Peter Molony at the Punchestown Goffs Sale and bought for Kenny. She arrived in Knockeen, July 2018. The wheels were set in motion.
"Thank you.
"She won her maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in November 2018 and I thought that she was very nice, but I didn't for a second think that she could be the mare that she became. A 17-time winner. A dual Champion Hurdler.
"Thank you.
"People are amazing. The people have made it so special. We had wonderful days in Fairyhouse and Punchestown with everyone appreciating her. At Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Hurdle this year, the reception that she got there, people cheering when I was legged up, when we cantered past the stands on the way down to the start. That just doesn't normally happen.
"Thank you.
"Again....... People are amazing, Cheltenham this year felt like so much more than a Cheltenham Festival winner. I didn't think that that was possible, any Cheltenham Festival winner is special, but the crowds were incredible on Tuesday. The reception was different, it was something that I had never experienced before. The people were cheering for Honeysuckle, but they were cheering for Jack as well. It's a magical place. To every single person who was in Cheltenham that day.
"Thank you.
"The little rainbow coming out. A really small, random little piece of a rainbow. Jack would have absolutely loved every second of Tuesday.
"Thanks Jack."
Blackmore admits she has mixed emotions about Honeysuckle retiring, but says she feels it is only now that she can appreciate the great horse.
She added: "It will definitely be a very different Cheltenham Festival next year, not having Honeysuckle there. She was some ace to have in your pocket going into that week. You get a bit spoiled. You get used to having her.
"I have mixed emotions now. I'm sad in lots of ways knowing that her racing career is over. Selfishly, because I won't have her to ride again. But I'm also so happy that she got to finish as she did, with the perfect ending.
"Her stable has always been the go-to stable when anyone has come to visit. Best of luck to whoever goes into that now and has to try and fill those shoes!
"Strangely, I only feel now like I can enjoy Honeysuckle properly. I feel like I can say things now like, she never fell, she always gave her all. No matter what happens in my career now, nobody can take Honeysuckle. It's all done, wrapped up with a nice bow on top. I will forever be grateful to her.
"Thank you Honeysuckle."
You can read Blackmore's tribute to Honeysuckle in full here.
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