Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle |
 |
|
| Grade 1, Cheltenham 14:40 £125,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 56y, Class 1  |
||
|
||
A visit across the Irish Sea offered the chance to take the temperature on one of the Festival’s most fascinating talking points, with Patrick Mullins giving a thoughtful assessment of where Lossiemouth might best be deployed. As assistant trainer, he is well placed to weigh the merits of a return to the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle against the sharper demands of the Champion Hurdle, a choice that has quietly become one of the key strategic decisions of the spring.
“She’s at her best at two-and-a-half miles. But could she win the Champion Hurdle this year? Yes, she could. She’s run four times against Champion Hurdle-type horses and won once. That’s the thing at the back of your head. I don’t know,” he says. There is an awareness, too, that not all of her defeats should be read at face value. “Three of her four defeats have been at the DRF so perhaps she’s not at her best there. I don’t really know why. I don’t think she really turned up at the DRF – it looked like Kempton all over again, but with a very different set of circumstances. We blamed the circumstances at Kempton so we won’t be blaming Leopardstown.”
What emerges is not certainty, but balance. “To me it’s not a foregone conclusion either way. It’s definitely a 50-50, particularly with not having State Man there. There was no doubt in our mind last year that State Man was the superior horse, full stop. Head and shoulders, that’s what Paul told us.” In a Festival landscape reshaped by absence as much as presence, Lossiemouth’s path remains finely poised.
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
(For The David Nicholson Mares’ Trophy
)
£125,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 56y, Class 1
22 entries
Going:
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY (form as of Feb 18)
1 16-525 Baby Kate 7 11-5 W P Mullins
2 14-321 Brighterdaysahead 7 11-5 Gordon Elliott
3 P22132 Dream On Baby 6 11-5 Emmet Mullins
4 43-121 Feet Of A Dancer 7 11-5 Paul Nolan
5 1-2212 Golden Ace 8 11-5 Jeremy Scott
6 2-1321 Jade De Grugy 7 11-5 W P Mullins
7 3-3373 Jetara 8 11-5 Mrs John Harrington
8 1-3212 Kargese 6 11-5 W P Mullins
9 -14389 Kateira 9 11-5 Dan Skelton
10 1222-3 La Pinsonniere 6 11-5 Nicky Henderson
11 -34143 Lavida Adiva 7 11-5 Ruth Jefferson
12 0-4317 Listentoyourheart 7 11-5 Dan Skelton
13 11-112 Lossiemouth 7 11-5 W P Mullins
14 81-434 Murcia 5 11-5 W P Mullins
15 09-911 Nurse Susan 9 11-5 Dan Skelton
16 9/1217 Park Princess 6 11-5 Anthony Honeyball
17 21-325 Siog Geal 7 11-5 Fergal O'Brien
18 5P Sotchi 8 11-5 James Grassick
19 F-3143 Sunset Marquesa 7 11-5 Joe Tizzard
20 5-6233 Take No Chances 8 11-5 Dan Skelton
21 22-437 That'll Do Moss 7 11-5 Fergal O'Brien
22 112-11 Wodhooh 6 11-5 Gordon Elliott
OLBG MARES’ HURDLE PAST RESULTS
Year Winner Age/Wt Jockey Trainer Owner SP Ran
2025 Lossiemouth 6 11-5 Paul Townend W P Mullins Mrs S Ricci 4/6F 10
2024 Lossiemouth 5 11-5 Paul Townend W P Mullins Mrs S Ricci 8/13F 11
2023 Honeysuckle 9 11-5 Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead Kenneth Alexander 9/4J 9
2022 Marie's Rock 7 11-5 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson Middleham Park Racing XLII 18/1 12
2021 Black Tears 7 11-5 Jack Kennedy Mrs Denise Foster Mrs Caren Walsh & John Lightfoot 11/1 10
2020 Honeysuckle 6 11-05 Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead Kenneth Alexander 9/4 9
2019 Roksana 7-11-05 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton Sarah Faulks 10/1 14
2018-WINNER-BENIE DES DIEUX 7-11-05 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-9/2
2ND-Midnight Tour 8-11-05 Owner-James & Jean Potter; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Davy Russell; SP-33/1
3RD-Apple’s Jade 6-11-05 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Jack Kennedy; SP-1/2 Fav
9 ran, Time-5m 10.10s; Dist-½, 1
2017-WINNER-APPLE’S JADE 5-11-05 Owner-Gigginstown House Stud; Trainer-Gordon Elliott IRE; Jockey-Bryan Cooper; SP-7/2
2ND-Vroum Vroum Mag 8-11-05 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-11/4
3RD-Limini 6-11-05 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/4 Fav 17 ran, Time-4m 50.20s; Dist-11⁄2, ns
2016-WINNER-VROUM VROUM MAG 7-11-05 Owner-Susannah Ricci; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-4/6 Fav
2ND-Rock On The Moor 8-11-05 Owner-R Irwin; Trainer-Jessica Harrington IRE; Jockey-Robbie Power; SP-66/1
3RD-Legacy Gold 8-11-05 Owner-Roger Brookhouse; Trainer-Stuart Crawford IRE; Jockey-Andrew Lynch; SP-40/1
19 ran, Time-4m 45.00s; Dist-23⁄4, 1⁄2
2015-WINNER-GLENS MELODY 7-11-05 Owner-Fiona McStay; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-6/1
2ND-Polly Peachum 7-11-05 Owner-Lady Tennant; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-9/1
3RD-Bitofapuzzle 7-11-05 Owner-Chris Giles & Potensis Bloodstock Ltd; Trainer-Harry Fry; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-16/1
15 ran, Time-4m 51.10s; Dist-hd, nk 1/2 Fav Annie Power (Fell)
2014-WINNER-QUEVEGA 10-11-05 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP- 8/11 Fav
2ND-Glens Melody 6-11-05 Owner-Fiona McStay; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-14/1
3RD-L’Unique 5-11-05 Owner-Denis Barry; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-25/1
16 ran, Time-4m 44.60s; Dist-¾, ¾
2013-WINNER-QUEVEGA 9-11-05 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP- 8/11 Fav
2ND-Sirene D'Ainay 7-11-05 Owner-Stephane Milaveau; Trainer-Emmanuel Clayeux FR; Jockey-Jonathan Plouganou; SP-33/1
3RD-Swincombe Flame 7-11-00 Owner-Yeo Racing Partnership; Trainer-Nick Williams; Jockey-Daryl Jacob; SP-40/1
19 ran, Time-4m 55.46s Dist-1½, 2
2012-WINNER-QUEVEGA 8-11-05 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP- 4/7 Fav
2ND Kentford Grey Lady 6-11-00 Owner-Ian Bare; Trainer-Emma Lavelle; Jockey-Noel Fehily; SP-14/1
3RD Golden Sunbird 8-11-03 Owner-Jim Mernagh; Trainer-Paul Nolan IRE; Jockey-Robbie Power; SP-66/1
19 ran, Time-4m 51.30s Dist-4, nk
2011-WINNER-QUEVEGA 7-11-05 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-5/6 Fav
2ND Sparky May 6-11-05 Owner-Bill Muddyman; Trainer-Pat Rodford; Jockey-Keiran Burke; SP-4/1
3RD Ocean Transit 6-11-00 Owner-Ocean’s Five; Trainer-Richard Price; Jockey-David Bass; SP-50/1
14 ran, Time-4m 48.08s Dist-10, 1
2010-WINNER-QUEVEGA 6-11-05 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/4 Fav
2ND Carole’s Legacy 6-11-00 Owner-Paul Murphy; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Andrew Tinkler; SP-20/1
3RD Voler La Vedette 6-11-05 Owner-Mrs M Brophy; Trainer-Colm Murphy IRE; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-9/4
17 ran, Time-4m 45.40s Dist-4½, 1¼
2009-WINNER-QUEVEGA 5-11-03 Owner-Hammer & Trowel Syndicate; Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-2/1 Fav
2ND United 8-11-05 Owner-R B Holt; Trainer-Lucy Wadham; Jockey-Dominic Elsworth; SP-100/30
3RD Aura About You 6-11-00 Owner-Jim Mernagh; Trainer-Paul Nolan IRE; Jockey-Alain Cawley; SP-28/1 21 ran, Time-4m 55.20s Dist-14, sh
2008-WINNER-WHITEOAK 5-11-00 Owner-Brendan Richardson; Trainer-Donald McCain Jnr; Jockey-Jason Maguire; SP-20/1
2ND Refinement 9-11-05 Owner-Michael Tabor; Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Tony McCoy; 10/1
3RD Chomba Womba 7-11-05 Owner-Richard & Lizzie Kelvin Hughes; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-100/30 Fav
13 ran, Time-5m 1.40s Dist-sh, 2½
