Leading contenders for this year's Mares' Novices' Hurdle

Introduced to the Cheltenham Festival programme in 2016, the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle was dominated by Willie Mullins early on but has now flipped to become a race the British trainers have relished.

Mullins won the first five renewals with the likes of Limini, Let's Dance and Concertista before Henry de Bromhead broke his stranglehold when Telmesomethinggirl won in 2021.

Since then, three British-based mares have scored as Love Envoi, You Wear It Well and Golden Ace obliged for Harry Fry, Jamie Snowden and Jeremy Scott respectively.

Irish ready to bite back?

After three years of British success, the Irish challengers are looking to roar back. Last year in particular was galling, as Brighterdaysahead was viewed by many as the 'Irish banker' of the meeting but in a slowly run race, she couldn't get the better of Golden Ace up the Cheltenham hill.

Fast forward a year, Golden Ace has a fine chance in the Mares' Hurdle while Brighterdaysahead is being touted as having the potential to inflict a first career defeat on Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle itself.

This will be the 10th running of the Mares' Novices' Hurdle and it has found a new home as the opening race on day three.

Ireland won the first six instalments, though Willie Mullins has now gone four years without adding to his tally after bagging five on the trot. Britain's tally stands at three, each of them gutsy scorers for trainers thrilled to get on the scoresheet in the Cotswolds.

Here's a look at the possible contenders for the Grade 2 event that is now set to be the opening race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday, March 13th.

Sixandahalf

This Gavin Cromwell-trained mare attained a rating of 88 on the Flat and finished third in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh in September. Her transition to hurdling could hardly have been smoother, as she routed a couple of promising rivals from the Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins yards at Fairyhouse in January.

Maughreen

Maughreen, whose dam is a half-sister to the top-class Faugheen, quickly established her position as a hype-horse when she won a bumper at Punchestown in January 2024 in wide-margin fashion. We had to wait 12 months to see her again at justified cramped odds in a maiden hurdle at the same venue. It wasn't as visually impressive as some would have hoped, but she remains close to the top of the market for this next target.

Karoline Banbou

Another contender for the Mullins operation could be Karoline Banbou, the French-trained import having opened her account over hurdles at the second time of asking in 2m Fairyhouse maiden in February. She was picked up by JP McManus having finished second in a Group 1 on the level in France.

Jubilee Alpha

This Paul Nicholls-trained Flemensfirth mare is one of the leading UK-based contenders. She had smart bumper form last season and was third in a Listed race at Newbury on her hurdles bow in November. That wasn't lost on her and she has bagged successive wins at Taunton and Windsor since, form that puts her right in the mix.

Galileo Dame

Joseph O'Brien's filly by Galileo Gold is another with smart Flat form, rated 96 in that code. She's yet to win over hurdles but her runner-up finish behind Hello Neighbour in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival was a real eye-catcher. She also holds an entry in the Triumph Hurdle but would have a handy four-year-old allowance in this contest.

La Pinsonniere

Nicky Henderson's French recruit La Pinsonniere was surprisingly beaten at Windsor in December on her UK bow but the winner, Starcrossed Lover, has franked that form since and the Seven Barrows inmate beat the useful Alan King-trained gelding Nap Hand at Huntingdon in January when going a spot better. There could be plenty more to come from her when she faces her own sex.

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