Mares Novices Hurdle Tips 2023
The Mares Novices Hurdle tips come from the penultimate race of the Cheltenham Festival Day 3 line-up. The Mares Novices will enter into just its 15th edition when it gets underway at this year’s Festival. It is an exciting Grade 1 contest for mares. Follow our racing experts as they guide you through the Mares Novices Hurdle odds.
Mares Novices Hurdle Potential Runners & Favourites
For Mares Novices Hurdle tips at the Cheltenham Festival 2023, we will be looking at who could follow in the footsteps of notable former winners Quevega and Honeysuckle.
It’s a competitive market for 2023 Mares Novices Hurdle betting. The bulk of those at the front of the market are from trainer Willie Mullins who always has a heavy hand.
The first of the Mares Novices Hurdle tips DINOBLUE is expected to mount a big challenge, despite being unexposed. Another of the Mullins stock, Dino Blue, only made her debut in January. However, it was a successful one at Clonmel by 15l, and bigger things are expected.
Another Willie Mullins runner that could give Dinoblue most to think about is BRANDY LOVE, who bolted up on Hurdles debut before running with credit behind stablemate Allegorie De Vassy. She jumped badly to the left that day but that shouldn’t be an issue as she’ll be going left-handed around Cheltenham.
Dipping into some longer-priced options, there is LOVE ENVOI, whose presence cannot be ignored in Mares Novices Hurdle tips. She completed a hattrick in her current form with a score at Sandown in mid-February. That was a Grade 2 mares novices’ event, and she may well catch the eye.
GRANGEE is another to consider for the shortlist after a good effort in last year’s Champion Bumper and a credible fourth in a Grade 1 earlier this season.
Mares Novices Confirmed Runners
| Horse | Silks | Trainer/Jockey | Odds |
| Dinoblue |  | J: Mark Walsh T: Willie Mullins | 11/4 |
| Brandy Love |  | J: Paul Townend T: Willie Mullins | 4/1 |
| Party Central |  | J: Davy Russell T: Gordon Elliott | 11/2 |
| Grangee |  | J: Patrick Mullins T: Willie Mullins | 7/1 |
| Impervious |  | J: Brian Hayes T: Colm Murphy | 7/1 |
| Love Envoi |  | J: Jonathan Burke T: Harry Fry | 14/1 |
| Choice Of Words |  | J: Darragh O’Keeffe T: Martin Brassil | 16/1 |
| Statuaire |  | J: Danny Mullins T: Willie Mullins | 16/1 |
| Nurse Susan |  | J: Harry Skelton T: Dan Skelton | 20/1 |
| Mighty Blue |  | J: J J Slevin T: Joseph O’Brien | 20/1 |
| Heia |  | J: Rachael Blackmore T: Willie Mullins | 25/1 |
| Hors Piste |  | J: B J Cooper T: Willie Mullins | 25/1 |
| Nina The Terrier |  | J: Tom Bellamy T: Alan King | 33/1 |
| Say Goodbye |  | J: Robbie Power T: Gordon Elliott | 33/1 |
| Braganza |  | J: Sean O’Keeffe T: Willie Mullins | 50/1 |
| Ahorsewithnoname |  | J: Nico de Boinville T: Nicky Henderson | 80/1 |
| Mayhem Mya |  | J: Bryan Carver T: Chris Honour | 100/1 |
| The Player Queen |  | J: Craig Nichol T: Rose Dobbin | 100/1 |
| Walk In Clover |  | J: Jack Andrews T: Dan Skelton | 100/1 |
| Tweed Skirt |  | J: James Bowen T: Nicky Henderson | 150/1 |
| Monishter Are Mwee |  | J: Ian Power T: Jayne Hearne | 150/1 |
| Hidden Land |  | J: Sam Twiston-Davies T: Andrew Kinirons | 200/1 |
*Odds Correct as of 12pm 15/03/22*
How Often Does a Favourite Horse Win The Mares Novices Hurdle Race
There have been four winning favourites in the last ten renewals of the Mares Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. But that doesn’t tell the whole story of the most current form. That’s because none of the last five renewals has been won by the favourite on the day. So a shift is maybe happening.
Also, on three of the last four occasions in the previous decade where there was a winning favourite, it was the brilliant Quevega.
Is that reason to abandon those at the head of the market? Not necessarily because when Black Tears crossed the line first last year at an 11/1 SP, she became the first winner above 10/1 to land it in the previous decade. So it has generally been the stronger picks delivering in this mares contest.
Mares Novices Hurdle Favourites vs Winners in The Past 10 Years
| Year | Favourite Horse* | Winning Horse |
| 2021 | Concertista (2nd) | Black Tears (11/1) |
| 2020 | Benie Des Dieux (2nd) | Honeysuckle (9/4) |
| 2019 | Benie Des Dieux (F) | Roksana (10/1) |
| 2018 | Apple’s Jade (2nd) | Benie Des Dieux (9/2) |
| 2017 | Limini (3rd) | Apples Jade (7/2) |
| 2016 | Vroum Vroum Mag | Vroum Vroum Mag (4/6) |
| 2015 | Annie Power (F) | Glens Melody (6/1) |
| 2014 | Quevega | Quevega (8/11) |
| 2013 | Quevega | Quevega (8/11) |
| 2012 | Quevega | Quevega (4/7) |
*(-) = Finishing Position, UR = Unseated Rider, F = Faller, RO = Ran Out, PU = Pulled Up
Mares Novices Hurdle History & Present Time
The first time that this race was held was in 2008, which was on the Friday at the Cheltenham Festival. It was then moved to its current slot on Thursday from the following year onwards. The Mares Novices at the Festival was also a Grade 2 to start with but was given top status in 2015.
The Mares Novices Hurdle is for mares at least four years old. It’s contested at a distance of 2m 4f and features ten hurdles. The official name of the race is the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle. However, sponsorship gives it its current Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle title.
Mares Novices Hurdle Jockey & Trainer Records
Whiteoak won the inaugural edition of this race. But then the astonishing run of Quevega kicked in, as she was ridden to success six years in a row by Ruby Walsh for trainer Willie Mullins. Not since then has a horse won it more than once.
Ruby Walsh is the leading jockey in the history of the race, but it was a total of 8 victories that he landed, as he also guided Vroum Vroum Mag and Benie Des Dieux home.
Walsh’s wins in the Mares’ Hurdle were on the back of a Willie Mullins-trained mare. In total, Mullins has won 9 of the previous 15 renewals of this particular race at the Cheltenham Festival, but only once in the last five, interestingly.