The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle is the penultimate race run on day three of the Cheltenham Festival and is open to four-year-olds and above and is run over a distance 2m 179y. Here at GG we are looking to try and point you in the right direction of the winner of the event with some key information and tips for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
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Andrew Mount’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Tips
13:20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Dawn Run mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB)
Result
12th 9/1
Andrew Mount thinks the fast ground at Cheltenham this week will suit the consistent Carrigmoornaspruce. Her record has seen her never finish out of the first three.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Tips
13:20 Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Dawn Run mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB)
Result
8th 16/1
Matty sees one of the home hopes as a great each-way bet in Kingston Queen. David Pipe’s charge was placed behind Supreme winner Old Park Star earlier in the season.
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Bookmaker Odds – Race 6, Thursday 12th March 1:20
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All About the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in 2027
Last year’s Champion Bumper hero Bambino Fever is a red-hot favourite for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in 2026, but she will have some smart rivals to beat. Oldschool Outlaw has been on a rapid incline and will be looking to down Bambino Fever, who she beat earlier in the season. Echoing Silence and La Conquiere add more depth to the race.
Qualifications/Trends
The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle is open to fillies and mares aged four years and over and despite being open to the youngest age group, there has never been a four-year-old winner of this contest. The Grade 2 race has only been ran seven times and was won for the first five seasons by Irish trainer Willie Mullins, before Henry De Bromhead landed the contest in 2021 and Love Envoi became the first British-trained horse to win in 2022.
It had obviously not been the best of events for British trained runners prior to Love Envoi’s victory last year, as only two runners had found the frame in previous renewals – those were Fergal O’Brien’s Cap Soleil (2018 finished 2nd) and Phil Kirby’s Rayna’s World (2020 finished 3rd).
The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle has only thrown up one big market shock in its history and that was when Eglantine Du Seuil (2019) won at 50/1, with fellow stablemate Concertista back in second at 66/1, who ironically won the race 12 months later (at much shorter odds of 9/2).
Mares Novices’ Hurdle History
The Grade 2 contest for mares and fillies was first run back in 2016 and is known as the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in honour of the superstar mare who is the only horse in history to win the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. The race was originally created in order to expand the Cheltenham Festival to an even 28 races across the four days.
Retired jockey Ruby Walsh won this contest twice for trainer Willie Mullins but both Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore have both recorded one win in the contest and will be looking to equal that record at this year’s Festival. However, this race has belonged to British trainers in the recent past having stayed on home shores between 2022-24, including when Golden Ace upset Brighterdaysahead. Ireland eventually won it back in 2025 courtesy of Air Of Entitlement.
Winners since 2016
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Limini | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 8/11F |
| 2017 | Let’s Dance | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 11/8F |
| 2018 | Laurina | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 4/7F |
| 2019 | Eglantine Du Seuil | J:Noel Fehily T:Willie Mullins | 50/1 |
| 2020 | Concertista | J:Daryl Jacob T:Willie Mullins | 9/2 |
| 2021 | Telmesomethinggirl | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead | 5/1 |
| 2022 | Love Envoi | J:Jonathan Burke T:Harry Fry | 15/2 |
| 2023 | You Wear It Well | J:Gavin Sheehan T:Jamie Snowden | 16/1 |
| 2024 | Golden Ace | J:Lorcan Williams T:Jeremy Scott | 10/1 |
| 2025 | Air Of Entitlement | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead | 16/1 |
| 2026 | White Noise | J:Tom Bellamy T:Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls | 40/1 |
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 |