Dual Grade 1 winner to join top Irish team in Mares' Hurdle

The betting for the OLBG Mares' Hurdle might be be dominated by Limini, Apple's Jade and Vroum Vroum Mag, but Gavin Cromwell has warned punters not to forget Jer's Girl.

The five-year-old skipped Cheltenham last year and that proved a shrewd move by Cromwell as the mare landed Grade 1s at the Fairyhouse and Punchestown festivals.

Jer's Girl has failed to scale such lofty heights this campaign but her trainer believes she will come alive in the spring.

"There's a cracking bunch of mares around and I'd like to think Jer's Girl is among them," Cromwell said.

"She's in great form and it's all systems go for the Mares' Hurdle. She had a gallop around the inside track at Fairyhouse earlier this week and I was thrilled with her.

"She's definitely matured and I've been very happy with her work. She came alive in the spring last year and I'm hoping she'll do something similar this year. She's showing me all the right signs."

Another Irish trainer searching for his first festival winner is Peter Fahey, who has taken Peregrine Run out of the Neptune and will instead choose between the Coral Cup and Albert Bartlett, with the Albert Barlett most likely at this stage.

Fahey said: "I decided to take him out of the Neptune and I think the Albert Bartlett would look the race, provided there is decent ground. The ground is key to him. He's a completely different horse on good ground – it was too soft for him at Warwick.

"He's a course winner and I think he'll stay, so I think he'll go there with a live chance."