Mares' Novices' Hurdle
13:20 Cheltenham Festival
2025-03-13
Winner: £59,083.5
Runners: 46
Going: Soft
No. of hurdles: 8
Distance: 2m0f179y
The Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle, registered as the Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. It is one of the newest races at the Cheltenham Festival, having first been staged in 2016, it is run on the third day of the festival. Initially dominated by Willie Mullins, who trained all of the first five winners, it has become more open with the last four winners coming from four different trainers, none of which were Mullins. The Mares' Novices' Hurdle has previously given penalties to Class 1 and 2 winners, a 5lb and 3lb penalty respectively, but for 2025 and beyond no penalties will be applied. This is because it was thought to have reduced the number of times some mares ran in the lead up to the festival. Check the Mares Novices Hurdle runners and riders ahead of the race and place your bets by clicking the odds buttons.
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MARES NOVICES HURDLE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2024 | Golden Ace | 142-11 | 6 | 10-1 | Jeremy Scott | Lorcan Williams |
| 2023 | You Wear It Well | 1121 | 6 | 16-1 | Jamie Snowden | Gavin Sheehan |
| 2022 | Love Envoi | 1-1111 | 6 | 15-2 | Harry Fry | Jonathan Burke |
| 2021 | Telmesomethinggirl | 13113 | 6 | 5-1 | Henry De Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2020 | Concertista | 4-2-0433 | 6 | 9-2 | Willie Mullins | Daryl Jacob |
| 2019 | Eglantine Du Seuil | 1-13 | 5 | 50-1 | Willie Mullins | Noel Fehily |
| 2018 | Laurina | F2-11 | 5 | 4-7F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2017 | Let’s Dance | 21-111 | 5 | 11-8F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2016 | Limini | 11 | 5 | 8-11F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
MARES NOVICES HURDLE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Aged five or six, nine winners in nine runnings
- Top-three finish last time out, 9/9
- Top-three finish in a Listed or Graded hurdle, 8/9
- Two to four hurdle starts, 7/9
- Adjusted RPR of at least 143, 5/9
- Rated within 6lb of RPR top-rated, 5/9
Other factors
- Seven winners had won over further than 2m1f.
- One was still maiden but she was beaten a short-head in the race the previous year.
- Willie Mullins has trained five of the nine winners (the first five).
We have all the best Cheltenham Betting offers ahead of placing your bets on the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - MARES NOVICES HURDLE 2024
Golden Ace, officially rated 19lb below the 5-6 favourite Brighterdaysahead and in receipt of just 5lb, travelled powerfully throughout and found more than her rivals to extend her unbeaten record over hurdles to three. Brighterdaysahead, who fought the winner up the hill, didn’t have the race run to suit but emerged with plenty of credit under a 5lb penalty, as did Birdie Or Bust, who held every chance at the last. The fancied Jade De Grugy found the drop in trip against her.