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13:30Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
14:10Arkle Chase
14:50Ultima Handicap Chase
15:30Champion Hurdle
16:10Mares Hurdle
16:50Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
17:30National Hunt Chase
13:30Ballymore Novices' Hurdle
14:10Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
14:50Coral Cup Hurdle
15:30Champion Chase
16:10Cross Country Chase
16:50Grand Annual Chase
17:30Champion Bumper
Mares' Novices' Hurdle
16:50 Cheltenham Festival
2023-03-16
Winner: £59,083.5
Runners: 21
Going: Soft
No. of hurdles: 8
Distance: 2m0f179y
The National Hunt Supported By Tattersalls Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, also known 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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5(0)
2232-P
Ahorsewithnoname
-
J: Sean Bowen
T: Nicky Henderson
8
11-2
132
145
Returned from a similar absence when a 50-1 runner-up in this 12 months ago, since when she has further raised her profile with two Flat wins and a good fifth in the Cesarewitch; reported to have bled from the nose when pulled up behind Endless Escape on return to jumping and, if back to anything like her best, she could make the frame again.
6(0)
23-423
Banntown Girl
-
J: Keith Donoghue
T: Stephen Gerard Carey
8
11-2
129
132
Chase career was aborted after two defeats but she ran well back over hurdles at Leopardstown, filling the runner-up spot in a valuable 2m1f handicap for the second successive season; however, that form is no real advertisement for her prospects at this level.
16(0)
1
Princess Zoe
-
J: Danny Mullins
T: Anthony Mullins
8
11-2
0
134
High-class Flat stayer with Group 1 honours on the board and the recent rain is a blessing; however, has left it late to go hurdling and will need to jump with greater conviction than at Punchestown (2m4f, soft) where joined on the line by Ladybank; drop to 2m is a further cause for concern.
13(0)
211162
Mullenbeg
-
J: Harry Cobden
T: Milton Harris
6
11-2
126
138
Winner of a Listed bumper here; has won only a maiden and two handicaps over hurdles but she ran well against male opposition in a Grade 2 at Kempton 19 days ago despite racing freely, as is her way; this bigger field will suit but she looks up against it on the figures and she seems ideally suited by good ground.
7(0)
5/1111
Endless Escape
-
J: Ben Jones
T: Ben Clarke
7
11-2
127
132
Unable to win any of her three points in Ireland but she's 4-4 over hurdles (1m7f-2m4f; good to soft or soft) for this yard and showed a very willing attitude last time at Newcastle; she'll need more than that here though and this looks a big ask.
8(0)
2-21
Foxy Girl
-
J: Rachael Blackmore
T: Henry De Bromhead
5
11-2
127
147
This asks a lot after winning a Limerick maiden (soft to heavy) but that was at the expense of male opposition and she looks a natural jumper; has not been tested as seriously as many but she looks quite promising.
14(0)
3-4112
Nikini
-
J: Mr P W Mullins
T: W P Mullins
6
11-2
135
140
Gave it her best shot but ultimately came up short when dividing Magical Zoe and The Model Kingdom on promotion to Grade 3 level at Down Royal (2m1f, soft); her trainer, who has won five of the seven runnings of this, looks to have a much better chance through Lot Of Joy.
15(0)
6-1321
Poetic Music
-
J: Paddy Brennan
T: Fergal O'Brien
5
11-2
118
134
Finished sixth in last season's Champion Bumper; the races she's won over hurdles were straightforward tasks (both at odds-on) and she couldn't give Luccia anything to think about at Newbury earlier in the season; a very unlikely winner of this; tries cheekpieces.
19(0)
113132
The Model Kingdom
-
J: Sean Flanagan
T: Noel Meade
6
11-2
134
143
No match for Wednesday's superb Ballymore winner Impaire Et Passe on latest start but she was behind Belle The Lioness the time before and two runs prior to that she was also adrift of both Magical Zoe and Nikini; consistent but evidently has her limitations.
9(0)
113
Halka Du Tabert
-
J: Davy Russell
T: Gordon Elliott
6
11-2
134
144
Fetched 260,000gns after hacking up in an Irish point; only scraped home in a bumper but comfortably beat her 24 rivals in a maiden hurdle at Naas before finishing close up behind Jetara at Fairyhouse (2m2f, soft); moved as well as the front two for much of that latter race, returning to a left-handed track can help and she brings each-way hopes.
4(0)
1-221
Belle The Lioness
-
J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Henry De Bromhead
6
11-5
128
131
Appeared to have limitations laid bare when no match for the winner in Listed event two runs ago and she hardly blew them away in 1m7f Thurles maiden (yielding) despite odds of 2-7; unlikely that Rachael Blackmore had to think twice before committing to one of her stablemates.
18(0)
B22105
Still Ciel
-
J: Shane Fitzgerald
T: Henry De Bromhead
6
11-2
120
127
Has won only one of her seven starts under rules (maiden in October) and there's nothing in her form to suggest she'll be troubling the best of these; one of the outsiders.
3(0)
1-1121
You Wear It Well
-
J: Gavin Sheehan
T: Jamie Snowden
6
11-7
135
143
Has won over 2m but her recent improvement has come at 2m4f, finishing best of the rest behind easy winner Hermes Allen in the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury (soft) and then very strong up the straight to take a mares' Grade 2 at Sandown (good to soft); might be vulnerable to something with a bit more zip when it matters and could have done without the penalty.
1(0)
11-11
Luccia
-
J: Nico de Boinville
T: Nicky Henderson
5
11-7
142
149
Won two bumpers (on soft) without barely breaking sweat and it's been a similar tale in two hurdle races, both Listed events on good ground; impossible to know the ceiling of her ability but connections toyed with the idea of running her in the Supreme and she's clearly a serious talent; some doubts were raised by her novicey jumping at Exeter last month but she's in the right hands to sort that out.
2(0)
1-11
Magical Zoe
-
J: A P Heskin
T: Henry De Bromhead
5
11-7
134
135
Bumper/maiden winner who found considerable improvement to mow down Nikini in a mares' Grade 3 at Down Royal (2m1f, soft) in November; will need another sizeable step forward but is open to further progress on only her fourth career start.
17(0)
1132
Shecouldbeanything
-
J: Jordan Gainford
T: Gordon Elliott
6
11-2
135
145
Perhaps found herself in front too soon when worn down in 2m5f Listed race at Punchestown (yielding) and had beaten the winner earlier in the season (2m4f, soft to heavy); quick enough to win a bumper but she also won a 3m point and looks vulnerable to sharper rivals at this trip.
10(0)
032122
Jetara
-
J: Sean O'Keeffe
T: Mrs John Harrington
5
11-2
135
145
Won two of her five bumpers; chased home High Definition on switch to hurdling at Leopardstown and again found one too good at Fairyhouse (2m2f Grade 3 for mares on soft) in the shape of Ashroe Diamond, who was second favourite for this until scratched on Tuesday; her assured stamina could come in handy and she's not without hope.
20(0)
601U3
Inspiratrice
-
J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: Nicky Martin
4
10-6
112
124
One win out of five over hurdles and that was at 200-1 at Taunton in December; only third in a novice back there a month ago and it would be a shock of major proportions should she pop up here.
12(0)
221
Lot Of Joy
-
J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
5
11-2
135
140
Quality Flat mare who stays 2m in that scene; turned over in first two hurdle races but bumped into a very smart gelding (held his own in Grade 1 since) at Leopardstown (2m4f, soft) second time out and then sluiced home back against her own sex at Fairyhouse (2m, yielding); her jumping improved notably as that latest race developed and her undoubted class should see her very competitive.
11(0)
81
Ladybank
-
J: Aidan Coleman
T: Henry De Bromhead
5
11-2
0
134
Down the field in a Leopardstown maiden on debut but left that form well behind to force a dead-heat with Princess Zoe at Punchestown (2m4f, soft); saw that trip out well and dropping back to 2m here rates a negative; Rachael Blackmore switches to Foxy Girl.
21(0)
11
Under Control
-
J: Mark Walsh
T: Nicky Henderson
4
10-6
0
130
Overcame a clueless round of jumping to win on sole start in France (2m3f, very soft) but was a whole lot more professional when cantering home on her debut for this yard at Newbury (good); that was only 13 days ago and the runner-up was beaten at Stratford on Monday, but she looks dangerous as she's an almost complete unknown quantity for her powerful connections.
RACING POST TIP
Luccia
Luccia is one of the talking horses of the meeting and her connections gave serious consideration to the Supreme before committing to this. She could be something special and waltz home, but she was more cautious than confident over the hurdles at Exeter last time, and dangers are lurking. Willie Mullins has whittled a seven-strong entry down to two and, while Nikini is up against it, LOT OF JOY rates an appealing alternative to the favourite. She had bags of class on the Flat and, having been a work in progress over hurdles, there were signs at Fairyhouse that she might have got the hang of things in the nick of time. Receiving 5lb off her market rival is not to be underestimated. Under Control adds considerable intrigue and, at lengthier odds, Halka Du Tabert and Ahorsewithnoname merit a second look.
Verdict
MARES NOVICES HURDLE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 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
- Aged five or six, 7/7
- Top-three finish last time out, 7/7
- Top-three finish in a Listed or Graded hurdle, 7/7
- Adjusted RPR of at least 148, 5/7
- Rated within 4lb of RPR top-rated, 5/7
- Two to four hurdle starts, 5/7
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - MARES NOVICES HURDLE 2022
This wide-open Mares’ Hurdle was won by a British horse for the first time since its introduction in 2016 as the Harry Fry-trained Love Envoi was too strong for her rivals. The six-year-old extended her unbeaten run to six, with her fifth victory since joining the Fry yard, as she finished one and a quarter lengths clear of Nicky Henderson’s Ahorsewithnoname. There were a number of candidates in with a shout when approaching the final flight, but Love Envoi took it in her stride and jumped well as she powered to the line. Both Grangee and Nurse Susan stayed on well, but it was the former who secured third in the race.