THERE were mixed fortunes for Dorset on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival as Honeysuckle made history while Metier faltered.

Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle as she guided Honeysuckle to a brilliant victory.

The heavily-backed 11-10 favourite, who was bred in Dorset at Glanvilles Stud in Sherborne before being trained in Ireland, led between the final two flights and she bounded up the hill to go on and win in impressive fashion.

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The Henry de Bromhead-trained mare powered away to take her 100 per cent record over hurdles to 11.

Irish jockey Blackmore said: “I’m speechless, to be honest – she’s just so incredible.

“I can’t believe we’ve won a Champion Hurdle. Kenny Alexander (owner) and Peter Molony (racing manager) are both at home with their families. It’s a pity they can’t be here.

“When Goshen headed off and then came back in I was just slightly worried, but she did everything I wanted her to do throughout the race and it’s just unbelievable.

“Henry produces her every day in that kind of form for me to just steer round. I’m so thankful to be a part of her (Honeysuckle) – it’s all about her.

“She’s getting better and improving. Her run the last day was a career-best and again today.

“It’s phenomenal.”

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Metier, a 5-1 second favourite had earlier faded badly to finish dead last of seven finishers in the opening race – the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

As expected, For Pleasure set the pace, but Appreciate It was always nicely in his slipstream.

From then on, Appreciate It pulled easily clear. His stablemate Blue Lord was his nearest pursuer when he came down at the last. That left Henry de Bromhead’s Ballyadam to claim second place, having made a mistake when hitting the second-last flight.

For Pleasure stuck to his task admirably to claim third place.

Colin Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen was paced superbly by Harry Cobden in the Arkle to claim an unexpected second, pipping Captain Guinness and Allmankind, behind clear winner Shishkin.

Winning trainer Nicky Henderson said: “Henderson said: “We’d always hoped (to win like that), but you never expect. It was strange, it will be all week without the crowds, but it doesn’t make it any easier watching them. Winners here are winners tough and without the crowd they are still special.

“We knew there was going to be plenty of pace, I didn’t know the other horse (Captain Guinness) would take him (Allmankind) on as well. But he’s got a high cruising speed and just sat on their tails.

“He came wide and had plenty of space, but he was impressive the way he came up the hill.

“We schooled on Thursday and he nearly hurdles his fences, he’s very quick which frightens you a little.

“He’s very fast, he’s always looked like a chaser but he’s definitely a two-miler, he’s just a natural.”

Meanwhile, Fry’s 200-1 shot Whitehotchillifili claimed 10th in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.

Ofalltheginjoints was the final Dorset runner of the day for Tizzard, but was pulled up as Galvin won the National Hunt Novices’ Chase.