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16:10 Cheltenham
Tuesday 14 March 2017
All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30
OLBG Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle)
- 4YO plus | Class 1 | 2m 3f 200y | Good to Soft | 17 Runners | Turf | Weighed In
- Off time: 16:12 | Winning time: 4m 50.2s
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Beaten favourite in three of her four starts this season but tackling open company for two of those events. Winner of a 2m4f Grade 1 contest at Fairyhouse in early December prior to a surprise defeat when odds-on favourite to beat today's rival Limini over this trip at Punchestown last month. Has run well here before having finished runner-up in the Triumph last year prior to a very impressive Grade 1 success at Aintree the following month.
Winner of a handicap hurdle off a mark of 124 at Southwell over 3m back in June. Disappointed at Cartmel on final start for her previous stable and well beaten off an 8lb higher mark on debut for current yard back at Southwell in August. Drops in trip and plenty to do at the weights.
Winner of a decent handicap at Newbury on her final start of the 2015/16 season and made a winning return to action when successful here in December. Subsequent third placed finish behind today's rival Lifeboat Mona over 2m4f at Sandown leaves her with a bit to do, but likely to run her race in this.
Winner of a handicap hurdle off a mark of 115 at Kempton in January 2016 and placed off much higher marks subsequently. Latest outing came when third behind today's rival Briery Queen here in December and she's also finished seventh in a competitive handicap at Chepstow this season. More needed to figure in this contest.
Six-time career winner but no success since victorious in a handicap at Huntingdon in November 2013. Has finished in the frame in handicap company on both outings this season and she makes her third appearance in this having finished fourth in 2014 and eighth 12 months later. Yard have a poor record at this track.
Has been racing over fences for the past two seasons and ran out the winner of a Listed handicap on her latest start back in October. Was also an impressive winner off a mark of 135 over fences at Market Rasen in June but this will be her first start over hurdles since finishing second in June 2015.
Dual Grade 1 winner last season with both of those victories coming over this trip including at Punchestown on her final outing. Has been comprehensively beaten over the minimum trip in open Grade 1 contests in both starts so far this season and while tackling mares' company will help she finished a well beaten last of five last time out with any rain looking likely to aid her chances.
Point-to-point winner in May 2014 and since won six of her nine outings under rules. Unbeaten in her last three outings going back 13 months including when successful in a Listed mares' hurdle over this trip at Sandown in January. Best form has come with cut in the ground including when winning on soft ground last time and an interesting runner for a top stable.
Easy winner of the new novices' race for mares at this meeting last year. Beaten favourite at both Aintree and Punchestown thereafter, when possibly feeling the effects, but made a winning return when beating Apple's Jade at Punchestown in February. Stylish nature of that success raised prospect of a Champion Hurdle tilt but connections opt for this easier contest, one in which their record is outstanding, and looks the one to beat as the choice of Ruby Walsh.
Winner of a handicap at Doncaster in December before being beaten 3L by Lifeboat Mona over 2m4f at Sandown two months ago. Latest outing came when making today's rival Vroum Vroum Mag work hard to justify long odds-on favouritism at Doncaster. A repeat of that latest effort would see her run well in this contest.
Successful at the first time of asking for this yard when sent off favourite for a handicap hurdle at Hereford in November but twice beaten since including in a handicap here won by Briery Queen. Respectable second at Taunton last time out and interesting to see how she fares here for a yard with an 22% strike rate (4/18) of late.
Winner twice early in the season on quickish ground at Newton Abbot and Worcester. Disappointed upped in trip at Kempton in November when pulled up but ran well to finish a close second in a listed event at Wetherby the time before. Hasn't been seen since that Kempton effort and upped in class here.
Finished fourth in this last year and sixth in it the year before when sent off at huge prices. Has recorded two victories over fences in novice company since that career best effort here last year but finished behind two of today's rivals (Midnight Jazz & Miss Crick) when fourth in a listed contest at Wetherby in October and a beaten favourite on the Flat at Newcastle in her prep for this last month.
Finished runner-up in this in 2016 when beaten by today's rival Vroum Vroum Mag. Has been well beaten in two of her three starts this season including when finishing behind today's rival Apple's Jade at Punchestown last month. Return to likely better ground should suit and interesting if capable of repeating last year's efforts.
Successful over 2m5f on heavy ground in a listed event at Warwick last month but pulled up in a chase won by Briery Belle the time before that. Well held in this last year and while her latest outing was a career best effort she still has a bit to find with the principals in this.
Relatively lightly raced having had just the nine career starts. Four of her first five outings resulted in victory including over Briery Belle in a listed hurdle event 12 months ago but she's been well beaten in listed mares chases the last twice and has a bit to prove at present.
Prolific mare who holds multiple entries at the Festival. Still unbeaten over fences, but campaigned exclusively over hurdles since winning this last year, including when suffering her sole defeat for the yard at the hands of Apple's Jade on her return in December. Lacklustre in scraping home at Doncaster last time - a run which perhaps explains why she is not in the Champion Hurdle - but conditions ideal here and best form sets the standard.
Non-Runners
4
Colin's Sister25
Weight: 11-5| Age: 6
T: F O'Brien J: P J Brennan
NR
Forecasts
Limini (6/4), Vroum Vroum Mag (11/4), Apple's Jade (7/2), Jer's Girl (14/1), Lifeboat Mona (16/1), Colin's Sister (25/1), Indian Stream (33/1), Briery Queen (33/1), Rons Dream (50/1), Debdebdeb (50/1), Midnight Jazz (50/1), Rock On The Moor (50/1), Midnight Tour (66/1), The Organist (100/1), Miss Crick (100/1), Pass The Time (100/1), Hidden Identity (200/1), Bon Chic (250/1)
With a decision about Vroum Vroum Mag's participation here likely to be made late on it may prove to be the 2016 winners stablemate LIMINI who gives her leading trainer a ninth successive victory in this contest. The selection had today's main rival Apple's Jade behind her at Punchestown last time out and ran out the comfortable winner of the mares' novice event at this track last year. Of the remainder, Grade 1 winner Jer's Girl , who impressed as a novice when winning a Grade 1 2m4f contest at Fairyhouse 12 months ago, is another to consider with the best of the British contenders taken to be Lifeboat Mona who comes here seeking a four-timer.
- Limini
- Apple's Jade
- Vroum Vroum Mag
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: £61,897.002nd: £23,320.003rd: £11,671.004th: £5,830.005th: £2,926.006th: £1,463.007th: £726.008th: £374.00
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