Do classy mares You Wear It Well, Luccia and Kateira have the Mares' Hurdle to themselves or are there other threats?

Certain trainers are renowned for targeting certain meetings and Dan Skelton is clearly fond of this Wetherby one. Over the last three seasons, Skelton has saddled 12 winners across the two days, including seven on this card. Mares’ Hurdle hope Kateira is probably his best chance of enhancing that impressive record.

This is a significant drop in class for Kateira after she followed home Irish Point in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April. However, the same is true for Luccia and You Wear It Well. For that reason we surely have a stronger event than is often the case.

Luccia matched Kateira’s 138 Racing Post Rating with a fine third in the Top Novices’ Hurdle the day before that. There is little to split the pair, but the worry for Kateira's supporters is Skelton's slow start to the season. He is just 3-35 over the last fortnight and that run includes eight beaten favourites.

You Wear It Well's standout achievement eclipses those of Kateira and Luccia as she landed the Grade 2 Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. While Kateira had her measure a month later in the Mersey, the Skelton mare's freshness might have made the difference. You Wear It Well appeared to be feeling the effects of gruelling battles at Newbury, Sandown and Cheltenham.

These mares will doubtless have bigger prizes on their long-term agendas and for Stainsby Girl, this is probably more of a cup final.

The front-running nine-year-old arrives at the top of her game and is bang there with a BHA rating of 138 for trainer Nick Alexander, having climbed through the handicap ranks.

She is well suited to a slog on slow ground and might have been underestimated in the early betting relative to her more glamorous opponents, albeit she will likely face pressure for the lead from You Wear It Well.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Jamie Snowden, trainer of You Wear It Well
She had a phenomenal year last year. She's come back looking bigger and stronger and she looks a picture. Aintree was just a race too many for her last season. This has always been the plan to start her off here. She might be a bigger price in the betting because she's got a penalty to carry; it's a tight little race. Her main target this season is the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Luccia
The ground won’t be very pleasant, but she’s won in soft ground and goes there in really good form. We took her to Windsor recently for a racecourse gallop. It’s a good race.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Kateira
She's in good form and two miles in this ground is a good starting point for her, if it's on. She's done loads of work.

Brian Ellison, trainer of Salsada
She’s in great form. I think she’s a very good mare. She had trouble with her joints some time ago, but she is 100 per cent now and better than she’s ever been. The novices have all got to step up. Salsada finished second to Epatante at Doncaster in January. I know she was beaten a fair way, but I’m not sure any of these novices would have got any closer. I’m not frightened of them, put it that way. The only thing I’m not sure about is whether she’ll act on the ground. I hope it’s not bottomless.

Nick Alexander, trainer of Stainsby Girl
It’s a step up in grade, but she does have plenty of handicap experience and won’t mind how soft the ground is. She’s meeting improving novices – the best novice mares from last season – but her hardened handicap experience should help her.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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