2025 Mares Hurdle

[FinalFurlong91]

I remember watching rich ricci on a preview in 2018 and he said douvan was running in the Ryanair

Then the day after he was declared for the champion chase

[Kevloaf]

I'm surprised at the amount of people that've been in this ante post game for so long that are surprised we aren't getting what 'we' want


The silver lining is that, IF it goes against the good of the sport this year, they surely have to change the Mares to not allow this in future



We're all on the same side here just impacted slightly differently.

If Lossiemouth ends up in the Mares I'll be smug about it because you should all know better.... and if I'm wrong, I'll delete all evidence I said she'd be anywhere but the CH and ban you







The Tuesday goes from having THE race worth going for, to 'a clash' but 4 odds on shots and 3 handicaps....

[Istabraq]

Meh.. I don’t blame them.

It’s a piss weak Grade 1 over a grip that suits her better.

Blame Cheltenham for making a Mares Hurdle a Grade 1 with no penalties.

Grade 1s should absolutely not have any penalties, they're meant to be the best grade races with the best horses competing, the error was upgrading the race to a G1, if it was still a G2 then shove a stone on G1 winning mares forcing them to go Champion Hurdle...

[Middle_Of_March]

Grade 1s should absolutely not have any penalties, they're meant to be the best grade races with the best horses competing, the error was upgrading the race to a G1, if it was still a G2 then shove a stone on G1 winning mares forcing them to go Champion Hurdle...

I think I’ve explained myself wrongly there. I’m agreeing with you. The issue is that the race itself is a Grade 1 and therefore there’s no penalties.

Whereas if it was the same as the Mares Chase, it would have penalties in place and thus would likely force the Grade 1 Champion Hurdle class mares to that.

I don’t blame Ricci/Mullins if it happened. It’s a grade 1 worth £100k and she’d be 8/13. Whereas she’d be 6/1 in a champion hurdle and goes against a horse who already beat her this year and at his best is borderline unbeatable anyway. I blame the BHA for this situation rather than connections

[FinalFurlong91]

There shouldn't be any mares only grade 1s

They should all be grade 2s with a 5lb or 7lb penalty carried by grade 1 winners

The champion hurdle and the stayers need any depth they can get

[Prestbury]

Ricci is not in it for the money (and you get more for 2nd in the Champion than winning the Mares anyway). So he must be in it for the sport - but where is the sport in this decision? She's already won G1s and that race in particular. Yes the BHA should frame the race so that this situation doesn't happen but those owners and trainers at the top of the game also have an obligation to the sport that has put them there.

[FinalFurlong91]

I'm not certain lossie is even a shoe in. Jade de grugy is already better than any of the mares she beat in the race last year and has plenty of scope to improve on her 149.

Lossie has run to RPRS of 151 and 152 this season that's not unbeatable by any stretch

Jade ran to 153 on reappearance though I'd strongly question the value of that rating based on beating vastly inferior horses giving weight. To me it's much easier to beat inferior horses giving weight than beating a horse of similar ability off levels.

She still has a high ceiling though

The question on jade is whether she can back up the run at Cheltenham or if she will flop like brandy love did. Though brandy was a nut job who hung like a rusty gate so perhaps not a fair comparison.

[Can't Catch Me]

Don't really understand the hulabaloo on this one. Had she had a good prep, then I could, but its the hottest CH for some time and she's had a far from perfect season. She couldn't live with the pace CH set at Kempton over 2m so there are still questions marks on the trip, and then obviously she fell in her last run before the race. Wouldn't really be Willie's way to then target the toughest race of your career on the back of those two runs.

Makes perfect sense to go to the Mares for me. She's only 6 after all! try and get a better prep into her next season and have another go.

[DenmanSacre]

Don't really understand the hulabaloo on this one. Had she had a good prep, then I could, but its the hottest CH for some time and she's had a far from perfect season. She couldn't live with the pace CH set at Kempton over 2m so there are still questions marks on the trip, and then obviously she fell in her last run before the race. Wouldn't really be Willie's way to then target the toughest race of your career on the back of those two runs.

Makes perfect sense to go to the Mares for me. She's only 6 after all! try and get a better prep into her next season and have another go.

So we have another season of them saying they go the Champion, she runs shit and they go for an easier option again. May as well send her to the breeding shed than going for another Mares Hurdle.

Its a good time to take on the Champion Hurdle. She wasn't far behind CH at Kempton with excuses why she might run better and CH didn't exactly improve next time out. State Man is out of form and Brighterdaysahead has flopped at Cheltenham before. I've not backed her and would be better off with her in the Mares, but it's a massive cop out to go to the Mares again.

[Quevega]

So we have another season of them saying they go the Champion, she runs shit and they go for an easier option again. May as well send her to the breeding shed than going for another Mares Hurdle.

Its a good time to take on the Champion Hurdle. She wasn't far behind CH at Kempton with excuses why she might run better and CH didn't exactly improve next time out. State Man is out of form and Brighterdaysahead has flopped at Cheltenham before. I've not backed her and would be better off with her in the Mares, but it's a massive cop out to go to the Mares again.

Absolutely
I hedged and have her in bets for the mares but that was prior to Dublin as had she been beat fair and square by state man then it’d be easier to see the mares route.

Willie ideally wanted them kept apart because he has always wanted two darts at c hill IMO
And obviously the other mare has emerged also.

[Can't Catch Me]

May as well send her to the breeding shed than going for another Mares Hurdle.

Cheltenham Festival winners aren't the easiest things to come by. Im sure RR will gladly take another, in whatever race it is.

[DenmanSacre]

Cheltenham Festival winners aren't the easiest things to come by. Im sure RR will gladly take another, in whatever race it is.

She's already won twice at the Festival. A Mares adds nothing to her legacy.

There's two main issues for me:
1) She's won it already and is good enough to go the Champion where she'd probably go off 3rd fav. RR may regret not going to the Gold Cup with Vautour and he could regret not going for the Champion with Lossiemouth.
2) They've been adamant all year she goes the Champion. If she goes the Mares next year they should just not say anything about her and her target if they are going to swerve the more difficult race.

A Mares win would feel hollow to me but I'm sure RR will be delighted when Q throws a bag of shit over him.

[Lobos]

Agree Denman. I still think she'll go Champion Hurdle.

[Craigy14]

Anyone that thinks she should go Mares really doesn’t care about the competitiveness of the sport.

In Kevs diary, this sums up his point about boring odds on shots and handicaps. Champion hurdle has the potential to be the race of the festival, but as is likely is just another match with one odds on.

[Can't Catch Me]

Anyone that thinks she should go Mares really doesn’t care about the competitiveness of the sport.

.

Whoah... Bit of a leap there Craigy! I care about the competitiveness of the sport. But connections have to what's right for each horse. We've still got a cracking Champion Hurdle.

Ultimately, in my opinion, If Paul Townend thought she would win the CH, she'd be running in it, and he'd be riding her.