Mares Novice Hurdle 2021

[Quevega]

I wonder if Willie might consider giving Brandy Love a entry in the Solerina Mares Hurdle or enter her at the DRF. If so we could have a new fav for the mares hurdle at Cheltenham.

She's definitely entered in the mares bumper in Dublin

[jonthehammer]

She's definitely entered in the mares bumper in Dublin

Decision to make, do i cash my bumper bet?

[jack1092]

Decision to make, do i cash my bumper bet?

Why would you do that?

[Quevega]

Decision to make, do i cash my bumper bet?

what do you mean ?

[Middle_Of_March]

The mare for me who has had very little coverage so far is The Glancing Queen. Just like Let’s Dance & Consertiesta she is an experienced novice so has plenty of racing experience under her belt even though she spent a number of months off the track injured. She has competed in some strong races this season most notably her last race where she was beat by the current Ballymore Fav. Am I right in saying that Alan King has recently mentioned the mares novice hurdle is the most likely target for her?? I think if she was trained by Mullins she would be the current Fav.

shes got experience at Cheltenham from coming 8th in last years Champion Bumper and won the Aintree grade 1 bumper the previous season. If you look beyond the Willie Mullins factor shes an obvious genuine challenger to win this race. It’s so obvious I’m confused as to why I’ve been ignoring her up until this week and now I think I’m going to pull the trigger whilst she’s still double figures

I’ve been following the mare since her run before the 2019 bumper at the open meeting at the very start of her career so can give some insight here I’d have thought.

I backed the horse in the champion bumper the first year she ran in it when 5th behind Envoi Allen. If you watch the race back, she was travelling well before being tapped for toe as they swung for home before running on for 5th.

She then went to Aintree and win their Mares bumper.

She was then at the start of the following season being spoken about as one who would be good enough to run in top grades races by connections. I backed her on the quotes for the 2020 MNH as connections really did think she’d be an excellent hurdler. She must’ve been doing something tasty at home and the bumper form obviously was good too.

She then gets injured and is out for the majority of the season. Because of her previous performance in the bumper, they send her to the festival for a repeat performance in the hope of picking up a few quid. She travelled well on the outside alongside Queens Brook before blowing out and was given an easy time of things. It was an afterthought that race so I’d have though they’d have been pleased with that 8th placed based on how she travelled. Again I’ll say I had a few quid on her each way that day as a long term fan of her by now.

Fast forward to this season and again connections have liked her. I was abit ponderous to back her straight up for the MNH because of both times she looked outpaced at the crucial moment in the bumper as soon as they turn for home. However, I’ve seen come to the conclusion that the second year in that she was just unfit. Which would make sense.

They started the year by running her on the all weather which didn’t work out. Two defeats where she didn’t have the pace to run as a flat horse frankly. Onto the jumps and instantly she looked good over hurdles at Warwick on her belated hurdling debut. She showed her class in a race she was entitled to win how she did. She then puts up a fight behind Bravemansgame at Newbury and looked like a really useful hurdler. They then send her to Bangor to win at 1/6.

Now.. the issue here is her trip. There’s an argument that she doesn’t have the pace for 2m. Connections seem to have that idea too as 2 of her 3 hurdles starts have been over 2m 4f. So with that in mind, is she going to even run in the MNH? Now, it’s good to see that the last start was back over 2 miles at Bangor on heavy ground. She cruised through to win at 1/6 on the snaff as you would expect.

What is worth saying, is that the MNH is run on the New Course which will suit her stamina more than the Bumper would have on the Old Course in the two years she ran there. I imagine connections might have been tempted by a handicap with her. It appears since then they came to the conclusion to run her as an experienced mare in the MNH or up over 2m 4f in the actual Mares Hurdle (which would’ve been very ambitious imo) as she’s a year older than the typical MNH horse.

Overall, I like her profile for four main reasons:
1) I think with the fact she’s experienced, and this race often reminds me of the Albert Bartlett in that it becomes a war of attrition, is a big positive.

2) She’s run at the track and coped with Cheltenham in the past. She’s going to be suited by the race being on the New Course to let her stamina sink into play.

3) Ground wise... she’s incredibly versatile. If there’s any soft or worse in the description, she will cope with that. Her run at Bangor last time on heavy was not of a horse that hates the ground. Before that she was placed on soft and her first run of the season she won easily on good to soft. She’s quite clearly not ground dependant.

4) She has a touch of class. 5th and 8th in two champion bumpers; won a Grade 2 Aintree Bumper for Mares; 3rd in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle this season (albeit beaten 10 lengths by Bravemansgame - Ballymore fav).

At 12/1 NRNB (in case they did change their mind and look at exploiting that handicap mark), I’m going to add her. I really like her profile.

The Glancing Queen - 12/1 NRNB for the Mares Novice Hurdle

[jonthehammer]

Why would you do that?

Sorry I misread, for some reason i thought it said a mares hurdle, dont ask its monday

[delsie777]

I’ve been following the mare since her run before the 2019 bumper at the open meeting at the very start of her career so can give some insight here I’d have thought.

I backed the horse in the champion bumper the first year she ran in it when 5th behind Envoi Allen. If you watch the race back, she was travelling well before being tapped for toe as they swung for home before running on for 5th.

She then went to Aintree and win their Mares bumper.

She was then at the start of the following season being spoken about as one who would be good enough to run in top grades races by connections. I backed her on the quotes for the 2020 MNH as connections really did think she’d be an excellent hurdler. She must’ve been doing something tasty at home and the bumper form obviously was good too.

She then gets injured and is out for the majority of the season. Because of her previous performance in the bumper, they send her to the festival for a repeat performance in the hope of picking up a few quid. She travelled well on the outside alongside Queens Brook before blowing out and was given an easy time of things. It was an afterthought that race so I’d have though they’d have been pleased with that 8th placed based on how she travelled. Again I’ll say I had a few quid on her each way that day as a long term fan of her by now.

Fast forward to this season and again connections have liked her. I was abit ponderous to back her straight up for the MNH because of both times she looked outpaced at the crucial moment in the bumper as soon as they turn for home. However, I’ve seen come to the conclusion that the second year in that she was just unfit. Which would make sense.

They started the year by running her on the all weather which didn’t work out. Two defeats where she didn’t have the pace to run as a flat horse frankly. Onto the jumps and instantly she looked good over hurdles at Warwick on her belated hurdling debut. She showed her class in a race she was entitled to win how she did. She then puts up a fight behind Bravemansgame at Newbury and looked like a really useful hurdler. They then send her to Bangor to win at 1/6.

Now.. the issue here is her trip. There’s an argument that she doesn’t have the pace for 2m. Connections seem to have that idea too as 2 of her 3 hurdles starts have been over 2m 4f. So with that in mind, is she going to even run in the MNH? Now, it’s good to see that the last start was back over 2 miles at Bangor on heavy ground. She cruised through to win at 1/6 on the snaff as you would expect.

What is worth saying, is that the MNH is run on the New Course which will suit her stamina more than the Bumper would have on the Old Course in the two years she ran there. I imagine connections might have been tempted by a handicap with her. It appears since then they came to the conclusion to run her as an experienced mare in the MNH or up over 2m 4f in the actual Mares Hurdle (which would’ve been very ambitious imo) as she’s a year older than the typical MNH horse.

Overall, I like her profile for four main reasons:
1) I think with the fact she’s experienced, and this race often reminds me of the Albert Bartlett in that it becomes a war of attrition, is a big positive.

2) She’s run at the track and coped with Cheltenham in the past. She’s going to be suited by the race being on the New Course to let her stamina sink into play.

3) Ground wise... she’s incredibly versatile. If there’s any soft or worse in the description, she will cope with that. Her run at Bangor last time on heavy was not of a horse that hates the ground. Before that she was placed on soft and her first run of the season she won easily on good to soft. She’s quite clearly not ground dependant.

4) She has a touch of class. 5th and 8th in two champion bumpers; won a Grade 2 Aintree Bumper for Mares; 3rd in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle this season (albeit beaten 10 lengths by Bravemansgame - Ballymore fav).

At 12/1 NRNB (in case they did change their mind and look at exploiting that handicap mark), I’m going to add her. I really like her profile.

The Glancing Queen - 12/1 NRNB for the Mares Novice Hurdle

5) Not trained by Willie Mullins

[Middle_Of_March]

5) Not trained by Willie Mullins

Of course that’s not ideal. However.. he’s not going to win it every year.

Two of the years he’s won, he didn’t have the best mare that year - Honeysuckle & Ep*****e.

[Quevega]

Of course that’s not ideal. However.. he’s not going to win it every year.

Two of the years he’s won, he didn’t have the best mare that year - Honeysuckle & Ep*****e.

She's also entered in the actual Mares hurdle.
And most importantly.

6) singalong potential

Don't fancy the horse myself mind.

[charlie]

We all know it pays to follow Willie in this race and I think Finest Evermore is worth persisting with @ 33/1, despite having lost at odds on last time out.

It's hard to make excuses last time out because I don't know what happened (literally, because of the fog), but I'd be confident she's significantly better than she showed that day. We sort of got an answer from PM as to why he thought that was on RTC, which conveniently also included talk about the market leader: 'Is Galouise at the top of the pack at the moment?'.

PM: 'I suppose she is. She was very good in Thurles. Again, Mick Winter's mare didn't perform so the form mightn't be as strong as it could be, but she's improving all the time, and then, I wouldn't forget Finest Evermore. I know she got beaten the last day, but she probably ran a bit keen in front and didn't jump as well as she could, she's still very good as well'.

It's hard weighting up the form / collateral form. I like that Finest Evermore won her two races over hurdles by an aggregate of thirty-six lengths, including proving much too strong for useful Flat performer Lynwood Gold at Listowel. On her penultimate start Finest Evermore smashed boodles 3rd Saint D'oroux (128) by 19L, and Saint D'oroux has subsequently ran to a mark of 127'ish, albeit over a shorter trip.

She's 16's NRNB, but can be boosted to 37/1 with Hills. I think near enough 40/1 EW is a good EW bet at the prices.

[Energumene]

Gauloise is Keyser Soze, shes convinced the world she doesn't exist. 7/4 on the day and wins half the track, enjoy the show.

[Middle_Of_March]

Gauloise is Keyser Soze, shes convinced the world she doesn't exist. 7/4 on the day and wins half the track, enjoy the show.

Half the track! Bold shout that. Makes me wonder how far would Elegant Escape win if he’d have been a novice mare?

[Energumene]

Patrick absolutely at it with Finest Evermore
Im looking for a laugh smiley but none of them are accurately capturing the hilarity.

IF youre still putting stock in trainer and jockey quotes youve a lot to learn about the game.

[Energumene]

Half the track! Bold shout that. Makes me wonder how far would Elegant Escape win if he’d have been a novice mare?

Exxageration but she will be cantering all over them going to the last and will take 4-5 lengths out of them after it. Townend will produce her pretty late id imagine, shes in a different league to any of the other novice mares weve seen.

[charlie]

Patrick absolutely at it with Finest Evermore
Im looking for a laugh smiley but none of them are accurately capturing the hilarity.

IF youre still putting stock in trainer and jockey quotes youve a lot to learn about the game.

If you can't find an appropriate laugh smiley with the 50+ available then I suggest you put down the booze and pick up the coffee #4am

I know you're new but we've done trainer quotes to death on here. Are they worth mentioning? Yes. Is it worth taking everything said literally? No. Thats just common sense, especially when the quotes in question come from PM.

Winning by 'half the track' or taking 4-5 lengths out of the field (see, loads of smiley faces available)

She might improve and go onto to be all the things you hope, but as it stands, she's just failed to take a length out of Mighty Blue between the last and the line, so 4-5 after the last to the line at Cheltenham up that hill isn't impossible and it could well happen, but its highly ambitious (putting it lightly IMO) based on what we know at the moment.