There were four handicap snips in this race last year - can Jubilee Alpha emulate Wodhooh and Joyeuse et al?

It requires above-average recall to remember a hotter formline than the 2024 running of this mares’ handicap hurdle. Just look at what the first four achieved afterwards.

Brilliant winner Wodhooh now trades at a top-priced 7-4 for the 2026 Mares’ Hurdle. Take No Chances (third) won a Grade 2 next time and was placed in that season’s Mares’ Hurdle, a race for which runner-up Joyeuse was supplemented after dotting up in the William Hill Hurdle. Even fourth Royale Margaux toyed with higher-rated mares to win a Warwick Listed race six weeks later.

Those mares ran off marks of 130, 119, 137 and 120 that day. They were handicap snips and this season’s early favourite, Jubilee Alpha, may need to be something special to defy top weight and a BHA rating of 141.

Even allowing for the stiffness of this task, Jubilee Alpha could be bound for the top. She ran to a Racing Post Rating of 145 when second in a good mares’ handicap at Wincanton on Badger Beers day, a figure 3lb higher than the one Wodhooh received for beating Celtic Dino in the Grade 2 Ascot Hurdle a fortnight later.

A bad mistake at the second-last saw Jubilee Alpha surrender valuable momentum to winner Sweet Caryline, who wasn’t stopping. Both mares were able to quicken off a fast pace and the form is worth respecting.

The market is concentrating on the right horses. Nurse Susan, although beaten a total of 98 lengths on her last three starts, won this race off 2lb lower in 2023 and Dan Skelton is mustard at bringing his out-of-form handicappers back to the boil for their primary objective.

You suspect Fergal O’Brien has also eyed up this prize for Siog Geal, who was more than 23 lengths clear of Nurse Susan on her Carlisle reappearance and will be 15lb better off with Jubilee Alpha from their meeting over an insufficient two miles at Windsor in January.

Siog Geal has a positive experience at this course and her mark of 123 jumps off the page.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Jubilee Alpha
She’s got a lovely chance. The handicapper has quite harshly put her up 4lb for getting beaten at Wincanton last time, but she made a mistake at the second-last. If she’d jumped it better, she would have gone close to winning. I think she'll run very well.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Nurse Susan
We've had this race in mind for some time. She ran okay at Carlisle last time and she has performed really well over this course and distance before. There's no reason why she shouldn't run well. She looks well at home and she's had a run under her belt, so there are no excuses.

Lucy Wadham, trainer of Pretending
She's in good order. She's still above her last winning mark, despite not having won for a year now, so life is a bit tough for her, but she always runs her race. She ran in a Listed race at Kempton a couple of weeks ago and blew up two out, but hopefully she'll be a bit fitter this time.

Ben Clarke, trainer of Game Colours
She would have needed her comeback run and will have come on a good bundle for that. It was always the plan to use her last run as a stepping stone for this race. The trip should suit, she ran well round Cheltenham last season and she has a nice weight. Having the champion jockey [Sean Bowen] on board is a big bonus as well.

Joe Tizzard, trainer of Sweet Caryline
She's had a really good season and improved again no end last time when stepping up in grade. Those runs were all on good ground, so there's a question mark there, but she seems in really good health and deserves to take her chance.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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