16.10
SoftClose Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £72024.47
- 2m 3f 200y
- Class 1
- 10 runners
Runners: 10 runners
Type: Hurdle Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Showers
7/2 (Won)
- Win: £3.25
- Place: £1.20
Form: 11-132 CD
Last run: 37 days
W: 11st 5lb
9 yo Mare
OR: 159
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 4 |
14th Mar 2023 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
May have lost her air of invincibility with defeats in the Hatton's Grace and Irish Champion this winter but in the former contest she still recorded a higher RPR than has ever been achieved in the 15 previous runnings of this race; seemingly doesn't have quite the gears of old but should still make a bold bid to extend her unbeaten Festival record to four; the winner of this event in 2020 and the Champion Hurdle in 2021 and 2022. |
7/2 |
|
2nd 6 |
5th Feb 2023 Yielding 2m 0f 0y |
11st 5lb |
prominent, raced in second from 2nd, pecked on landing 3 out, pushed along after 2 out, ridden and outpaced approaching last, 3 lengths down last, no extra run-in |
6/4 |
|
3rd 8 |
4th Dec 2022 Yielding 2m 3f 130y |
11st 3lb |
in touch with leaders |
4/9 |
9/1
- Place: £2.40
Form: 112-11 C
Last run: 66 days
W: 11st 5lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 147
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5th 7 |
12th Mar 2024 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
towards rear |
12/1 |
|
2nd 5 |
27th Jan 2024 Good To Soft 2m 0f 179y Class 1 |
11st 1lb |
Raced mainly on soft/heavy (withdrawn due to good ground once); smart mare whose record is 8-12 and who performed very well (first/second) at the last two Cheltenham Festivals; may be back on song with Sandown reappearance under her belt; has the best chance at the weights. |
3/1 |
|
2nd 5 |
9th Dec 2023 Soft 1m 7f 216y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Picked up a stress fracture at Punchestown (soundly beaten) when last seen but has made a full recovery; has a solid/progressive record (at 2m-2m5f) otherwise and career record is 8-11; ran well behind Honeysuckle in a strong Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (soft) two starts ago; 3-3 at Sandown, including a win on this card last year; remains of major interest. |
13/2 |
20/1
- Place: £3.50
Form: 2-3121 D
Last run: 20 days
W: 11st 5lb
8 yo Mare
OR: 145
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 |
29th Apr 2023 Good To Yielding 2m 3f 30y |
11st 7lb |
Second to Marie's Rock in Grade 1 event at Cheltenham last year and third to Honeysuckle last month; was getting 9lb and had the advantage of race-fitness when relegation Brandy Love to third here in February; did well to uphold that form at Cheltenham; place chance again. |
5/1 |
|
3rd 8 |
14th Mar 2023 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
Second to Marie's Rock in this 12 months ago; warmed up for this year's renewal with a win in a 2m4f Punchestown Grade 3 (yielding) three weeks ago, but Brandy Love was just under 5l behind in third and meets her on 9lb better terms now; this likeable mare looks sure to give her running but this looks a stronger race than last year. |
20/1 |
|
1st 3 |
22nd Feb 2023 Yielding 2m 4f 100y |
10st 12lb |
raced in second, led going okay 2 out, ridden when faced challenge before last, ran on after last |
2/1 |
11/1
Form: 35-2F1
Last run: 44 days
W: 11st 5lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 152
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
12th Mar 2024 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
in rear |
25/1 |
|
4th 5 |
4th Feb 2024 Soft 2m 0f 0y |
11st 5lb |
raced in third, outpaced when dropped to rear home turn, soon no impression |
20/1 |
|
3rd 4 |
29th Dec 2023 Heavy 2m 0f 0y |
11st 5lb |
held up in rear, disputing third when not fluent 4th |
9/1 |
5/1
Form: /121-3 D
Last run: 20 days
W: 11st 5lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 149
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2 |
25th Apr 2024 Yielding To Soft 2m 3f 100y |
11st 7lb |
Turned over at odds on in beginners' chases on her last couple of starts but has still run with credit; Grade 1 winner over timber and likely to find improvement in this sphere before too long; the one to beat. |
4/5 |
|
2 |
25th Apr 2024 Yielding To Soft 2m 3f 100y |
11st 7lb |
took keen hold, prominent early, chased clear leader before 2nd, mistake 3rd, mistake 5th |
4/5 |
|
2nd 1 |
7th Jan 2024 Soft To Heavy 2m 4f 0y |
11st 7lb |
visibility reduced by fog, raced in second, led before 6th, faced challenge before 2 out, headed when no extra after last, no match for winner |
4/9 |
33/1
Form: 11-U31 C
Last run: 31 days
W: 11st 5lb
6 yo Mare
OR: 145
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 |
12th Mar 2024 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
pressed leaders |
100/1 |
|
5th 4 |
28th Jan 2024 Good 3m 0f 84y Class 1 |
11st 6lb |
Useful at up to 2m5f and has Graded form; running respectably when final-flight faller in Cheltenham handicap most recently; some of her relatives have 3m form and she shapes accordingly; interesting upped in distance. |
11/2 |
|
0 1 |
16th Dec 2023 Soft 2m 4f 56y Class 2 |
12st 0lb |
Won here in April 2022 and creditable sixth of nine when 50-1 in the Grade 1 Mares' Hurdle here (2m4f, soft) this March; not disgraced on Ascot reappearance, despite being only third of five as favourite, but might not be well enough handicapped to win this. |
5/1 |
9/4
Form: P11-11 CD
Last run: 72 days
W: 11st 5lb
8 yo Mare
OR: 153
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2nd 6 (6) |
10th Oct 2024 Soft 1m 6f 0y Class 1 |
9st 6lb |
awkward start, in touch with leaders, headway and prominent over 3f out, led over 2f out, faced challenge over 1f out, headed inside final 110yds, just held |
6/1 |
|
5th 4 (4) |
25th May 2024 Good To Soft 1m 5f 188y Class 1 |
9st 2lb |
dwelt start, towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong |
12/1 |
|
5th 4 (4) |
25th May 2024 Good To Soft 1m 5f 188y Class 1 |
9st 2lb |
dwelt start, towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong |
12/1 |
6/1
Form: 1-3221 C
Last run: 45 days
W: 11st 5lb
9 yo Mare
OR: 153
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 |
29th Apr 2023 Good To Yielding 2m 3f 30y |
11st 7lb |
in rear but in touch with leaders, some headway on inner 2 out, pushed along when bit short of room home turn, soon outpaced and lost position when ridden, went fourth before last, no extra run-in |
11/2 |
|
4th 6 |
13th Apr 2023 Good To Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 1 |
11st 3lb |
Didn't have to be at her best for Grade 2 mares' win at Doncaster in January and disappointing in the mares' hurdle at last month's Cheltenham Festival; however, she won this race last year (good to soft) and there's every chance she'll be best of the rest behind stablemate Constitution Hill, which was the case in the Fighting Fifth and the Christmas Hurdle this season. |
12/1 |
|
8th 3 |
14th Mar 2023 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
Six-time Grade 1 winner over hurdles, including the 2020 Champion Hurdle; no match for superstar stablemate Constitution Hill in the Fighting Fifth or Christmas Hurdle at the end of 2022 but underlined what a class act she is among her own sex when hacking up in a 2m Grade 2 at Doncaster in January; has won a Grade 1 over this trip; major player. |
6/1 |
25/1
Form: 15P411 D
Last run: 75 days
W: 11st 5lb
8 yo Mare
OR: 148
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 7 |
29th Apr 2023 Good To Yielding 2m 3f 30y |
11st 7lb |
led, ridden and headed before last, soon no chance with winner, lost second but kept on run-in |
12/1 |
|
9th 9 |
14th Mar 2023 Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
Got firmly back on track with successive wins to end 2022, including when too strong for Queens Brook (albeit in receipt of 3lb) in a Leopardstown Grade 3 (2m4f, soft) over Christmas; will need a good bit more again if she's to extend that winning sequence to three, though. |
25/1 |
|
1st 6 |
29th Dec 2022 Soft 2m 4f 0y |
10st 11lb |
in touch with leaders on outer, went second after 2 out (usual 3 out), pushed along to lead going best when switched right omitted last, stayed on, comfortably |
6/4 |
100/1
Form: 1-2315 D
Last run: 42 days
W: 11st 5lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 120
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8th 1 |
21st Apr 2026 Soft 2m 4f 0y Class 5 |
12st 0lb |
On a long losing run but she wasn't discredited on the back of wind surgery when fourth of six in 2m3f Warwick handicap 60 days ago; possibilities off a falling mark. |
12/1 |
|
4th 3 |
20th Feb 2026 Soft 2m 3f 0y Class 5 |
11st 11lb |
Runner-up at Ludlow last February and now 8lb lower; however, this 10yo has struggled to get competitive since; has had wind surgery since last time, which needs to make a big difference. |
14/1 |
Non-runners
Midnight Ginger
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £23.50 |
| Straight Forecast | £29.66 |
| Tricast | £321.23 |
| Trifecta | £193.70 |
Selections
Daily Mail:
Marie's RockDaily Mirror:
Marie's RockDaily Record:
Echoes In RainTelegraph:
Honeysuckle