The Mares’ Hurdle is one of three races at the Cheltenham Festival exclusively for mares. With some extremely strong fields in recent years, the race has often challenged the Champion Hurdle for quality. Find out who our experts like in this year’s field, with all GG’s tips provided.
Andrew Mount’s Mares’ Hurdle Tips
Andrew Mount is backing Take No Chances as Gordon Elliott endures a tricky week at Cheltenham. Elliott trains favourite Wodhooh, with Take No Chances a consistent mare taken to profit.
Joe Napier’s Mares’ Hurdle Tips
Despite the Elliott yard struggling to find a winner, Joe Napier believes Wodhooh can get them out of trouble. She is the class horse in the race, with Lossiemouth the only horse to have beaten her.
Mares’ Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 3, Thursday 12th March 2:40
All About The Mares’ Hurdle in 2027
The Mares’ Hurdle will take place at 2.40pm on Thursday 18th March and the Grade 1 event will attract a host of classy mares, who opt to avoid the Champion Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle.
Martin Pipe winner Wodhooh bids for a second Cheltenham Festival success and is a hot favourite in the Mares’ Hurdle. Jade De Grugy looks to be the main danger, whilst Feet Of A Dancer and Take No Chances are two of the other runners in a disappointing seven-runner field.
Qualifications/Trends
Check out some of the key trends for the Mares’ Hurdle:
- 9 of the last 10 winners have been aged between 5 or 7
- 8 of the last 10 winners have been trained in Ireland
- 4 of the last 10 winners have been favourite
- 6 of the last 10 winners have been rated 150 or higher
Mares’ Hurdle History
One of the newest races in the Cheltenham Festival schedule, the Mares’ Hurdle has steadily grown in popularity since first being run in 2008.
Many have quibbles with the idea that the race dilutes the quality of the Festival, with the best mares running here instead of elsewhere. However, the likes of Annie Power, Epatante and Honeysuckle have disproved that in recent years by winning the Champion Hurdle, with the first-named also running in the Stayers’ Hurdle before this contest.
Quevega’s stretch of six straight victories between 2009-2014 was a genuinely remarkable achievement. No horse has won as many races at the Cheltenham Festival as Willie Mullins’ history maker nor will likely ever do so, especially not in the same contest.
However, arguably the most infamous incident in the race came in 2015. After messieurs Mullins and Walsh had landed the Supreme, Arkle and Champion Hurdle with short-priced favourites, Annie Power was next up to land a £50 million blow upon the bookmakers. She fell at the last. Even that year, Willie Mullins still won the race with second string Glens Melody. His ten victories account for well over half of the total ever run.
The Mares’ Hurdle has continued to provide us with headlines ever since, including in 2023, when Honeysuckle scored at a fourth Cheltenham Festival in a row. It was her second Mares’ Hurdle success, with the pair of victories coming either side of back-to-back wins in the Champion Hurdle.
Winners since 2008
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Whiteoak | J:Jason Maguire T:Donald McCain Jr | 20/1 |
| 2009 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 2/1F |
| 2010 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 6/4F |
| 2011 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 5/6F |
| 2012 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 4/7F |
| 2013 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 8/11F |
| 2014 | Quevega | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 8/11F |
| 2015 | Glens Melody | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 6/1 |
| 2016 | Vroum Vroum Mag | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 4/6F |
| 2017 | Apple’s Jade | J:Bryan Cooper T:Gordon Elliott | 7/2 |
| 2018 | Benie Des Dieux | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 9/2 |
| 2019 | Roksana | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 10/1 |
| 2020 | Honeysuckle | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry de Bromhead | 9/4 |
| 2021 | Black Tears | J:Jack Kennedy T:Denise Foster | 11/1 |
| 2022 | Marie’s Rock | J:Nico De Boinville T:Nicky Henderson | 18/1 |
| 2023 | Honeysuckle | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry de Bromhead | 9/4J |
| 2024 | Lossiemouth | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 8/13F |
| 2025 | Lossiemouth | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 4/6F |
| 2026 | Wodhooh | J:Jack Kennedy T:Gordon Elliott | 5/6F |
Cheltenham Festival Racing Schedule
| Time | Race | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 1:20 | Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle | 2m 3f 168y |
| 2:00 | Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase | 2m 4f |
| 2.40 | Mares’ Hurdle | 2m 3f 200y |
| 3.20 | Ryanair Chase | 2m 4f 127y |
| 4.00 | Stayers’ Hurdle | 2m 7f 213y |
| 4:40 | Pertemps Final | 2m 7f 213y |
| 5:20 | Kim Muir Handicap Chase | 3m 2f |