Mares Hurdle Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Cheltenham 2024 - DAY 1)

The Mares Hurdle is one of the newest races at the Cheltenham Festival, run over two and a half miles and, as the name would suggest, for mares only. Honeysuckle, the Champion Hurdle winner in 2021 and 2022, ended her amazing career by winning the Mares' Hurdle in 2023. This article contains our Mares Hurdle race preview with free predictions, tips, betting trends, best odds, free bets and no deposit bonuses on the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

MARES HURDLE BETTING PREVIEW 

The Mares Hurdle was first run at the Cheltenham Festival in 2008. We have seen some great winners over the past few seasons and the race quality is seemingly getting better every year. It's a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle, run over two miles and four furlongs, for fillies and mares aged four and upwards. Prize money has been boosted to £126,000 in recent years. The history of this race all revolves around the wonderful mare Quevega, who won the race six times from 2009 to 2014.

And now we take a closer look at this year's David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail.

Who will win the Mares' Hurdle 2024?

Willie Mullins' LOSSIEMOUTH is the odds on favorite after romping to glory in last season’s Triumph Hurdle and destroying her rivals in the International Hurdle on reappearance. She arrives with an impressive career record with six wins and a second-place in 8 outings. She was last seen in the Unibet Hurdle when beating four other horses - over the 2-mile 1 furlong trip here at Cheltenham - including runner-up Love Envoi by nine and a half lengths.

The 6-year-old ASHROE DIAMOND has been another consistent scorer for the WP Mullins stable. Her most recent effort was impressive as she defeated the likes of Under Control and Gala Marceau in the Grade 2 Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle. Prior to that she finished a disappointing 3rd at Fairyhouse in December 2023, well behind race winner Teahupoo (13 lengths). She has 3 wins from 6 races, and has never finished outside the top 3.

Harry Fry's LOVE ENVOI won the 2022 Mares' Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. She recently returned after a 224 day break from the track at Sandown and recorded a good 2nd place, 8 lengths Not So Sleepy. Prior to that, Love Envoi ran at Punchestown in April 2023 when she finished a disappointing last of 6, in a race won by Echoes in Rain.

GALA MARCEAU has 2 victories, 2 runner-up finishes and one 3rd place finish from 5 outings since joining the WP Mullins stable in November 2022. She has raced just once at Cheltenham - in last year’s JCB Triumph Hurdle she finished 2nd to the favourite for this race, Lossiemouth.

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Dark horses?

TELLMESOMETHINGGIRL, winner of the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, posted a career-best performance on the numbers in the Grade 3 Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown at the end of December. She looks well-suited to a strongly-run event

Former winner, MARIE'S ROCK could again represent Nicky Henderson, along with stablemates UNDER CONTROL and THEATRE GLORY.

Gordon Elliott has handed a speculative entry to leading novice BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD and has also entered PARTY CENTRAL.

Other possible contenders are HISPANIC MOON, ECHOES IN RAIN,  MAGICAL ZOE, WEST BALBOA and ZENTA.

At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:

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MARES HURDLE TRENDS 

• Only 8 of the 16 favourites won (6 of those were Quevega)
• 12 of the last 16 winners had also won their previous starts before coming to the festival
• 11 of the past 12 winners had at least six previous runs over hurdles and at least three wins over hurdles
• 9 of the last 12 previous winners were rated at least 148
• 8 of the last 10 winners had won a Graded race before
• 6 of the last 9 winners were aged 7
• 13 of the 16 winners were Irish trained (9 by Willie Mullins)

MARES HURDLE PREDICTIONS 

Read below our recommended bets on the Mares' Hurdle 2024. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham Festival predictions and get the best odds available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button!

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MARES' HURDLE FAQs

What is the distance of the Mares' Hurdle?

The Mares' Hurdle is run on a distance of 2 miles, 3 furlongs and 200 yards

How many obstacles are jumped in the Mares' Hurdle?

There are 9 obstacles to jump for the Mares' Hurdle runners

What time is the Mares' Hurdle?

The Mares' Hurdle is the 5th race run on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Tuesday March 14, 2024 and the official starting time is 4:10pm.

What is the prize money for the Mares' Hurdle?

The total prize money on offer for the Mares' Hurdle at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival will be £126,000.

Who won the Mares' Hurdle last year?

Last year's renewal was won by Honeysuckle at SP of 9/4jf trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden by Rachael Blackmore.

What weights are carried for the Mares' Hurdle?

11 st 5 lb (5yo+). 10 st 10 lb (4yo).

Who is the leading jockey in the Mares' Hurdle?

Ruby Walsh rode 8 winners in the last 12 years before retirement. All 8 of these winners was for Willie Mullins. Paul Townend took over that Ruby Walsh's position. Rachael Blackmore has won two of the last 4 editions (Honeysuckle in 2020 and 2023). Harry Skelton is another jockey worth noting with a winner (Roksana in 2019) and two places from five rides in the race.

Who is the leading trainer in the Mares' Hurdle?

Willie Mullins has dominated the race to date, albeit Quevega represents 6 of his 9 wins. Nicky Henderson (2022), Denise Foster (2021), Henry De Bromhead (2020 and 2023), Dan Skelton (2019), Gordon Elliott (2017), and Donald McCain (2008) have trained the other seven winners.