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13:30Supreme Novices' Hurdle
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Mares' Novices' Hurdle
16:50 Cheltenham Festival
2024-03-14
Winner: £59,083.5
Runners: 8
Going: Soft
No. of hurdles: 8
Distance: 2m0f179y
The Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle, registered as the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, is one of the newest races at the Cheltenham Festival, having first been staged in 2016. It is run on the third day of the festival and has been dominated so far by Willie Mullins, who has trained all five winners. Check the Mares Novices Hurdle runners and riders ahead of the race and place your bets by clicking the odds buttons.
NO.DRAW
FORM
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10(0)
211113
Titanium Moon
-
J: Brian Hughes
T: Donald McCain
6
11-2
127
139
Made hay in novice hurdles last summer on good and good to soft ground; perhaps found the soft surface against her when a remote third against male opposition at Musselburgh (after a break) but there's nothing in her profile to suggest she can match the best of these.
NR(0)
20-112
Casa No Mento
-
T: Nigel Twiston-Davies
6
11-2
123
134
Unchallenged in winning her first two hurdle races (maiden/novice; both on good) and ran creditably when second in a Listed event at Taunton (good to soft); however, that form is no advertisement for her prospects at this level and she was beaten out of sight behind Dysart Enos when they met in a bumper.
9(0)
36-1P1
Mollys Mango
-
J: Paul O'Brien
T: Harry Derham
6
11-2
0
132
Useful in bumpers without hinting at star potential; had excuses for her sole defeat over hurdles and won the other two at long odds-on (on soft and heavy); sold out of Gordon Elliott's yard, as part of the Caldwell dispersal sale, for 170,000euros and is sure to win races for new connections; however, highly doubtful that this will be one of them; wears a first-time tongue-tie.
NR(0)
11-111
Dysart Enos
-
T: Fergal O'Brien
6
11-2
131
142
Unraced on heavy, acts on any other ground; beaten in a point but has looked hot property from the off under rules, with her unbeaten bumper career culminating in a 9l trouncing of Golden Ace in last season's Grade 2 at Aintree; she has duly flourished over hurdles and, in being confined to novice races, she rocks up here without a penalty (unlike the chief Irish contenders); she's a mare with a high cruising speed and the ability to quicken, which could provide a telling late challenge; this has been the plan all season; non-runner.
6(0)
152-11
Golden Ace
-
J: Lorcan Williams
T: Jeremy Scott
6
11-2
124
142
Has 9l to find with Dysart Enos on their bumper clash and both her hurdle wins have come at Taunton; the male rival she beat first time (soft) has since gone close in a good Grade 2 here and she made light work of lesser opposition when following up under a penalty; there's a suspicion that she'll hold her own but ultimately come up short, though her trainer isn't thinking along those lines having sounded so bullish in the build-up.
1(0)
2-1351
Birdie Or Bust
-
J: Rachael Blackmore
T: Henry De Bromhead
6
11-7
130
132
Perhaps too free for comfort when finishing 25l behind Brighterdaysahead at Down Royal in November (soft) but it takes some imagination to envisage her reversing that deficit, and she had luck on her side in winning a Listed race for mares at Thurles (yielding) after the favourite made a meal of the last flight; placed at best unless she can unearth something from somewhere.
NR(0)
1-113P
Little Miss Dante
-
T: Olly Murphy
6
11-2
122
129
Bumper and dual hurdle winner at 2m; something presumably amiss when running too bad to be true in a Grade 2 at Sandown (2m4f, soft) four weeks ago but, even if she is back on song, this looks well beyond her; non-runner.
11(0)
121
Victoria Milano
-
J: Jack Tudor
T: Alastair Ralph
6
11-2
119
127
Wins at Ludlow (2m5f) and Sandown (2m) but probably her best form is the defeat at Warwick (2m3f, soft); talented mare with a future but she's making up the numbers at this level.
2(0)
11-111
Brighterdaysahead
-
J: Jack Kennedy
T: Gordon Elliott
5
11-7
143
149
Half-sister to the yard's high-class Mighty Potter; won both her bumpers (one on yielding; all other career starts on soft or heavy) with the minimum of fuss and it's been a similar tale in going 3-3 over hurdles; it was workmanlike rather than super-stylish in a Grade 3 at Down Royal in November (2m1f) but her jumping was more accomplished at Navan (2m5f Listed) and she duly won with any amount in hand; boasts persuasive claims on the figures and, if buying into all the hype, she's as good as anything in Gordon Elliott's yard; worthy favourite.
3(0)
1-11
Jade De Grugy
-
J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
5
11-7
141
150
Out of an unraced half-sister to top-class 2m chaser Sire De Grugy; bought for 230,000euros after winning a French bumper on good to soft in October 2022; debut for this yard was a good while coming but she fairly danced home in her maiden at Leopardstown over Christmas (2m4f, heavy) and again moved with purpose throughout to win a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse (2m2f, soft) with similar authority; slick jumper with the gears for this sharper test and who knows how talented she is.
8(0)
1
Majestic Force
-
J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Henry De Bromhead
6
11-2
0
127
Bought for £120,000 after romping home in a point; confirmed herself a nice prospect when following up in a maiden at Punchestown (2m4f, heavy) but the second that day is becoming frustrating and it's unlikely that she'll have the required pace to trouble the best in this field.
RACING POST TIP
Brighterdaysahead
Sky-high are reputations on the line. There's an infectious level of confidence behind BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD and Jade De Grugy, both unbeaten mares who haven't half looked good in bossing in their own backyards. Gordon Elliott has great belief in the selection who might just be the superior stayer under these testing conditions. Whether Golden Ace is quite up to this level remains to be seen, but the potential is there for sure.
MARES NOVICES HURDLE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2023 | You Wear It Well | 1121 | 6 | 16-1 | Jamie Snowden | Gavin Sheehan |
| 2022 | Love Envoi | 1-1111 | 6 | 15-2 | Harry Fry | Jonathan Burke |
| 2021 | Telmesomethinggirl | 13113 | 6 | 5-1 | Henry De Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2020 | Concertista | 4-2-0433 | 6 | 9-2 | Willie Mullins | Daryl Jacob |
| 2019 | Eglantine Du Seuil | 1-13 | 5 | 50-1 | Willie Mullins | Noel Fehily |
| 2018 | Laurina | F2-11 | 5 | 4-7F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2017 | Let’s Dance | 21-111 | 5 | 11-8F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2016 | Limini | 11 | 5 | 8-11F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
MARES NOVICES HURDLE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Aged five or six, 8/8
- Top-three finish last time out, 8/8
- Top-three finish in a Listed or Graded hurdle, 8/8
- Adjusted RPR of at least 143, 6/8
- Rated within 6lb of RPR top-rated, 6/8
- Two to four hurdle starts, 6/8
Other factors
- Six winners had won over further than 2m1f.
- One was still maiden but she was beaten a short-head in the race the previous year.
- Willie Mullins has trained five of the eight winners (the first five).
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WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - MARES NOVICES HURDLE 2023
YOU WEAR IT WELL, back in trip, was allowed a fairly easy time of it in front and she turned in her best effort under her penalty to make it 4-5 over hurdles. Magical Zoe lost her unbeaten record but she stepped up on her previous efforts under her penalty to take second. Luccia, had created a fine impression winning all her previous starts in bumpers and over hurdles, was well supported, but she didn’t get home after racing with the choke out.