The mares take centre stage as day two of the Cheltenham April meeting is an all-mares card.
The Premier Handicap Chase, in which Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead dominate the market, looks like the pick of the seven race cards.
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Cheltenham 1:35 KTDA Fillies’ Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – 2m1f (New Course) (Premier Handicap) (4yo)
Team Closutton will look to start the day with a bang with the classy SAINTE LUCIE. She dips into handicap company for the first time off top weight, but she should have more than enough class to handle it.
She made a taking impression on debut for Willie Mullins, winning by 11 lengths. She was then sent off a well-backed 13/8 favourite for the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but ultimately pulled her chance away. She has since finished 8th in the Triumph Hurdle over course and distance, but this race marks a big drop in class and one she is more than entitled to win. If she can drop her head early in the race, then Sainte Lucie should take all the beating.
Another interesting Irish raider is Maxios Prime, who is getting 26 lb off the selection. She made a winning handicap debut for Philip Rothwell, and he wouldn’t be making the trip with her if he didn’t think she could do herself justice.
Selection: Sainte Lucie 11/4 Danger: Maxios Prime 3/1 Current Betting: Sainte Lucie 11/4, Maxios Prime 3/1, Matwana 9/2, Clotilda 6/1, Miss Altea Blue 17/2, Our Lil 9/1, 10/1 bar.Bet on Sainte Lucie with Betfred
Cheltenham 2:10 Exertis-Samsung Racing Excellence Award Challenger Series Mares’ Chase Final – 3m1½f (New Course) (5yo+)
Malaita was a ready winner of the Grade 2 chase on this card last season, and if she were to rediscover that form, she would become a massive danger to all, but she has struggled to find her feet this season.
Dan Skeltons Lady Jago has turned a new corner since returning from an 89-day break, recording comfortable back-to-back wins. She has gone up 7 lb for her latest win, but with many wanting to lead here, this may set up for a closer like her. She is given the most respect, but the one to say with is SAINTE DOCTOR, who comes here searching for a four-timer.
She has somehow gotten away with only going up a total of 13 lbs for her three wins this year, and given the ease with which she won at Ludlow when coming from the rear, her new mark of 123 may not be enough to stop her here.
Selection: Sainte Doctor 6/1 (e/w) Danger: Lady Jago 10/1 (e/w) Current Betting: Coco Mademoiselle 4/1, Sainte Doctor 6/1, Moviddy 7/1, Malaita 15/2, Minniemum 15/2, So Said I 9/1, Lady Jago 10/1, 12/1 bar.Bet on Sainte Doctor with SBK
Cheltenham 2:45 Catesby Estates Mares’ Challenger Series Final Handicap Hurdle – 2m4½f (New Course) (4yo+)
This is the toughest race on the card, as you can tell by the 8/1 field, so finding the winner will be very profitable.
Bethpage returned to action with a win at Wincanton 24 days ago and looked good when doing so. She has been put up 3 lb for that run, which shouldn’t be an issue, and it will be interesting to see how she gets on now that she is upped in class.
Greyval has been in good form since the turn of the year and was rewarded with a good win last time out, where she had Pawapuri over 8 lengths behind. The latter should come on for that run, but she has become disappointed after promising to be a decent mare.
The one that I’ll be siding with is MERMAIDS CAVE, who showed the benefit of a return to a sounder surface when comfortably getting the better of Greyval at Fakenham in January. She hasn’t been seen since, but that may have been my design, given the ground conditions over the winter. Now that this looks to have been her main target, she could prove well up to winning this off a 7 lb higher mark.
Shantwopointfive hasn’t much to find with Greyval and should put up a bold showing, as should Ile De Jersey, who is expected to come on a lot for her first run after 570 days so on the sideline and could have a lot more to offer off 121.
Selection: Mermaids Cave 8/1 (e/w) Danger: Greyval 17/2 (e/w) Current Betting: Jena d’Oudairies 8/1, Mermaids Cave 8/1, Pretending 8/1, Greybal 17/2, Pawapuri 17/2, Shantwopointfave 17/2, Batwomen 9/1, 12/1 bar.Bet on Mermaids Cave with talkSPORT BET
Cheltenham 3:20 Aston Martin Mares’ Novices’ Handicap Chase – 2m4½f (New Course) (Premier Handicap) (5yo+)
Willie Mullins runs another two here in A Penny Hundred and Judicieuse Allen, who are closely matched on their meeting in the Listed Colreevy Mares Novice Chase at Fairyhouse, where they couldn’t lay a glove on their classy stablemate Spindleberry. They might have to settle for a supporting role once again, but this time to Henry de Bromheads THEATRE NATIVE.
Settling was an issue for Theatre Native in her younger days, but this season, she seems to have learnt how to settle and race more professionally. She has yet to get off the mark over fences, but she ran well in all three starts where she couldn’t get the better of Arkle Novices’ Chase 2nd Only By Night on chase debut and then bumped into an inform Springt De La Mare at Fairyhourse at the beginning of the year. And even though she was a beating favourite again last time, the front two pulled well clear of 3rd.
Today, Theatre Native gets 8 lb from the two Willie Mullins runners in her first handicap and should make the most of it here. When Henry de Bromhead sends a sole runner to the UK, he rarely leaves empty-handed.
Selection: Theatre Native 11/4 Danger: Penny A Hundred 4/1 Current Betting: Theatre Native 11/4, Penny A Hundred 4/1, Judicieuse Allen 9/2, Ilovethenightlife 6/1, Party Vibes 13/2, Mighty Moth 17/2, 10/1 bar.Bet on Theatre Native with bet365
Cheltenham 3:55 Listed Changing Young Lives At Jamie’s Farm Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle – 2m4½f (New Course) (4yo+)
The form of Sainte Tartare’s win could not have worked out much better, as the 21-length second Nastya has since gone on to win by 25 lengths. You can also take that result with a pinch of salt, as that win was recorded on heavy ground, and the runner-up never acted on the surface. She must face faster conditions for the first time here, and coming from the stable of all-conquering Willie Mullins, she has to be given the highest respect. But I want to take her on in a race with few alternatives.
Bluey was progressing nicely until she flopped at the Cheltenham Festival, but she can be forgiven for that run and comes here with clear each-way chances. However, she failed to get the better of my selection, JUBILEE ALPHA, when they met at Windsor in January. Bluey gets a slight pull in the weights here, but that may not be enough to turn the tables.
Jubilee Alpha ran well for a long way in the Grade 2 Marse Novices Hurdle, only fading late into 8th. Metkayina finished over 7 lengths in front of the selection that day, and even with a swing in the weight in favour of Metkayina, Jubilee Alpha is more than capable of turning the table on a horse who was ridden to finish well, whereas Jubilee Alpha was ridden to win.
One who looks interesting at a price is the 94-rated flat Miss Cynthia. She has slowly gotten the hang of things over hurdles and has yet to finish out of the top two. On her flat mark, there should be a lot more room for improvement, and it wouldn’t be a shock if she took another step forward here.
Selection: Jubilee Alpha 11/2 (e/w) Danger: Miss Cynthia 22/1 (e/w) Current Betting: Sainte Tartare 5/2, Metkayina 4/1, Jubilee Alpha 11/2, La Pinsonniere 6/1, Speculatrix 15/2, Bluey 17/2, 17/2 bar.Bet on Jubilee Alpha with Paddy Power
Cheltenham 4:30 Holland Cooper Mares’ Handicap Chase – 2m½f (New Course) (5yo+ 0-140)
Shakeyourtailfeather finally came to terms with chasing when finishing a good 2nd to Party Vibes at Leicester. Dan Skelton takes over in the saddle today, and should she take another step forward, she should be bang there now that she’s back down to 2m.
But the one who looks like a clear pick is last season’s winner, SOMESPRING SPECIAL. She took this last year for Anthony Honeyball and has since switched to Philip Hobbs & Johnson White, for which she made a winning debut last month. She is 8 lb higher than when winning this last season, but she looks to have improved again, and she should take a lot of beating in her follow up bid.
Selection: Somespring Special Danger: ShakeyourtailfeatherBet on Somespring Special with Betfred
Cheltenham 5:05 Junior Jumpers Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race – 2m1f (New Course) (4-6yo)
The form set by the experienced runners is nothing to get excited about and is not of a high standard, so any of the newcomers wouldn’t need to be a world-beater to get involved the first time of asking.
A tentative vote goes to the Dan Skelton-trained SHEEZER DANCER. The Skelton’s are well known for having their bumper horses ready to go at the first time of asking, and given that the trainer’s championship is on the line, you can expect this mare to be more than ready for her racecourse debut.
Selection: Sheezer Dancer Danger: Queens AbbeyBet on Sheezer Dancer with SBK
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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