Mares’ Hurdle Race

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The Grade 1 Mares’ Hurdle was added to the Cheltenham Festival programme in 2008, providing a much-needed platform for the fairer sex on this grandest of jumps racing stages.

Cheltenham’s all-time leading trainer Willie Mullins has farmed this race since its inception, with the fabulous Quevega winning six years on the spin from 2009 onwards, toppling Golden Miller’s record of five Festival wins in the process.

Mullins’ domination has continued since, with three wins in the last six, but there’s also been heartache as Annie Power (2015) crashed out at the final flight with the race at her mercy, a feat eerily repeated by Benie Des Dieux four years later.

Henry De Bromhead’s Honeysuckle maintained her unbeaten record when fending off Benie Des Dieux to win a memorable 2020 renewal.

Mares’ Hurdle Race: Tips and Predictions

Note: the predictions below refer to the 2021 running of this race – preview will be updated closer to the beginning of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival.

Concertista will be popular here as Willie Mullins seeks his 10th win in a race he has utterly dominated. She’s got a massive chance but stablemates My Sister Sarah and Great White Shark are not discounted, while both Dame De Compagnie (Coral Cup) and Indefatigable (Martin Pipe) were Festival winners here in 2020.

ROKSANA won this race in 2019 and Dan Skelton’s charge has looked better than ever this term, twice winning Grade 2s either side of finishing third to Paisley Park in Ascot’s Long Walk. Assuming the drop back to 2m4f doesn’t catch her out, she’s got a huge chance.

Enda McElhinney‘s Selection: Roksana

2021 Winner: Black Tears (JW Kennedy) 11/1

Mares’ Hurdle Race: Betting Odds

Mares’ Hurdle Race: Recent Winners