Leading Mares' Hurdle hope Brandy Love out to enhance festival claims

She is going the wrong way around, she hasn't been seen since last April and she has to give 9lb to a race-fit mare rated just 2lb inferior, yet there will still be an overwhelming whiff of disappointment if Brandy Love doesn't get the job done on her reappearance.

The exciting seven-year-old missed last year's Cheltenham Festival with a setback but more than made up for it at Fairyhouse over Easter when winning a Grade 1 at the Irish Grand National meeting.

The form of that victory could hardly be stronger as she had Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner Love Envoi eight lengths behind her in second, despite jumping out to her left throughout. Harry Fry's mare is unbeaten since.

Brandy Love is definitely a few lengths better going left-handed but she got away with it at Fairyhouse and she might just get away with it here too. Victory could see her shorten further for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Queens Brook sets the benchmark. She is rated 144 and was runner-up in the Mares' Hurdle at the festival last year where she touched a low of 1.84 in-running before being gunned down late by the strong stayer Marie's Rock. There was no shame in that.

The problem for punters is that Queens Brook has been beaten on four of her last five starts and two of those were when she was sent off odds-on. She is trying our patience.

She looked to have been handed an open goal in a Grade 3 at Leopardstown over Christmas but could not withstand the late surge of Shewearsitwell.

The conditions of the race mean that she is in receipt of 9lb from Brandy Love, though, and she is sure to have her supporters once again.

Anna Bunina steps up in trip. She ran really well when fourth to Gaelic Warrior in a hot 2m handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but seems to need good ground to be at her best. If it dries out, she is not out of it.

The rest look to have plenty to do and, if Brandy Love is to frighten Honeysuckle and Epatante at Cheltenham, she probably would want to be winning this.

Brandy out to give Donnellys an instant return on investment

Brandy Love will sport the familiar yellow and black silks of Marie and Joe Donnelly for the first time after Shishkin's owner got out the cheque book to purchase the talented mare from Michael Grech.

Despite the fact she is yet to appear this season, she is a best priced 9-2 with BoyleSports to give Willie Mullins a record-extending tenth win in the Mares' Hurdle.

This will tell us what sort of shape she is in, despite the track and the race conditions not being in her favour.

Mullins said: "I know it's the wrong way round and she prefers going left-handed, but I wanted to get a run into her before Cheltenham so that's why she's coming here. The Mares' Hurdle looks like it's going to be a very hot race at Cheltenham this year."

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Queens Brook 
She's in good form and ran very well in this race last year when trying to give plenty of weight to Burning Victory. The Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham has been her aim all season and this will hopefully tee her up nicely for another crack at it.

John McConnell, trainer of Anna Bunina
She ran a cracker in the big handicap at Leopardstown and we were delighted with her. We've been wanting to step her up in trip for quite a while now and she gets her chance here. I'd be hoping for a very good run from her with the way the weights are but if they get too much rain she won't run. The better the ground, the better her chance.

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Upping The Ante star Johnny Dineen joins the Racing Post roster for a weekly Saturday column throughout the jumps season. He'll offer a guide to the weekend action, highlight the key horses and races to watch and share his punting wisdom. Read it every Saturday in the Racing Post or online from 4pm every Friday, exclusively for Members' Club subscribers. Sign up to Members' Club here for more top jumps season insight.