Maughreen and Sixandahalf are two of the star attractions amongst the list of 46 horses entered for the 2025 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, which takes place on day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 13th March. We take a look at the full list of possible runners for the contest that kicks off the third day of action at Prestbury Park.
Having trained the first five winners of this race since its inception in 2016, Willie Mullins has failed to taste victory in the last four runnings of the race, but the master of Closutton will have a strong battalion looking to recapture the crown next month and spearheading his team could be the unbeaten Maughreen. Highly touted since winning a bumper at Punchestown last January, the six-year-old made her eagerly-anticipated hurdling bow at the same track a few weeks ago. Winning by five lengths that day, she showed she certainly has some talent and that has what made her propel to the top of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle betting, but she will likely face some strong opposition.
Gavin Cromwell’s Sixandahalf was a smart Flat horse and has a win at Newmarket on her CV and was a decent third in the Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh back in September. However, she showed talent for the hurdling sphere on her jumping bow when storming to an emphatic 12-length victory over Gordon Elliott’s Qualimata and the Mullins-trained Kimi De Mai.
Second to Baby Kate at Naas on hurdling debut, Karoline Banbou improved significantly for her second run over hurdles and she won a Fairyhouse maiden hurdle in decent style and could be another shot fired by the Mullins gun. Aurora Vega could look to follow her dam Quevega’s footsteps by trying to claim Cheltenham Festival success and she’s another prominent figure in the betting for the Mullins team.
The last three winners of this race have been won by British trainers and Paul Nicholls could look to win his first Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle with Jubilee Alpha, who was last seen downing Bluey at Windsor and that pair are both entered here. Just A Rose produced an eye-catching performance on debut at Taunton for the Nicholls team and she could also take her chance next month.
There are lots of unknown quantities in this division, so the betting will be fascinating to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, but here’s all the horses entered for the race, which takes place at 1:20pm on Thursday 13th March, 2025.
2025 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Entries
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Affinity Rock | Cian Collins |
| 2 | Air Of Entitlement | Henry De Bromhead |
| 3 | Auntie Lacey | Paul Nolan |
| 4 | Aurora Vega | Willie Mullins |
| 5 | Baby Kate | Willie Mullins |
| 6 | Bluey | Emma Lavelle |
| 7 | Brendas Asking | Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls |
| 8 | Colonia Victoria | Paul Nolan |
| 9 | Cootesloe Sunshine | Joseph O’Brien |
| 10 | Disco Dancer | Gordon Elliott |
| 11 | Diva Luna | Ben Pauling |
| 12 | Familiar Dreams | Gordon Elliott |
| 13 | Fancy Girl | Willie Mullins |
| 14 | Gale Mahler | Adrian Keatley |
| 15 | Herja | Patrick Griffin |
| 16 | Hollygrove Cha Cha | Jamie Snowden |
| 17 | Jane Eire | Henry De Bromhead |
| 18 | Jubilee Alpha | Paul Nicholls |
| 19 | Just A Rose | Paul Nicholls |
| 20 | Karamoja | Willie Mullins |
| 21 | Karoline Banbou | Willie Mullins |
| 22 | Katira Du Mestivel | Ben Pauling |
| 23 | Khrisma | Nicky Henderson |
| 24 | Kimi De Mai | Willie Mullins |
| 25 | Kimy | Thomas Mullins |
| 26 | Kitty Foyle | Daisy Hitchins |
| 27 | Kom Tu Voudras | Willie Mullins |
| 28 | Lagertha | Katy Price |
| 29 | La Pinsonniere | Nicky Henderson |
| 30 | Listentoyourheart | Dan Skelton |
| 31 | Magic McColgan | Willie Mullins |
| 32 | Maughreen | Willie Mullins |
| 33 | Metkayina | Noel Williams |
| 34 | Mystical Goddess | Henry De Bromhead |
| 35 | Qualimata | Gordon Elliott |
| 36 | Queenie St Clair | Eamon Sheehy |
| 37 | Rula Bula | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
| 38 | Siog Geal | Fergal O’Brien |
| 39 | Sixandahalf | Gavin Cromwell |
| 40 | Surrey Belle | Adrian Keatley |
| 41 | Tareze | Henry De Bromhead |
| 42 | That’ll Do Moss | Fergal O’Brien |
| 43 | Tour Ovalie | Evan Williams |
| 44 | Ufouria | Paul Nolan |
| 45 | Venusienne | Willie Mullins |
| 46 | Galileo Dame | Joseph O’Brien |
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