2026 Mares Chase

[Eggs]

Current betting;

Dinoblue 7/2
Brighterdaysahead 5-1
Spindleberry 6-1
Only by Night 9-1
Jade de Grugy 12-1
The Big Westerner 12-1
July Flower 16-1
Joyeuse 16-1

20-1 bar.

 

[Durham Edition]

Am I right in thinking Only by the Night was bought ny Robcour the other week? Do we think this will changes plans from this race?

 

[Eggs]

….Elliott re BDA;

‘We’ve been really happy with her since she came back in. She’s actually working after racing at Navan on Wednesday, so that should be a good step up in her preparation. Her schooling over fences has been really good and she’s always looked one that would love chasing. She’ll start off at either Down Royal or Navan I’d imagine. Trip-wise, we might start her off at a middle distance, but to be honest, I think she’d be grand over any trip. We’ll get her started and work from there.’

 

[Wayward Lad]

….Elliott re BDA;

‘We’ve been really happy with her since she came back in. She’s actually working after racing at Navan on Wednesday, so that should be a good step up in her preparation. Her schooling over fences has been really good and she’s always looked one that would love chasing. She’ll start off at either Down Royal or Navan I’d imagine. Trip-wise, we might start her off at a middle distance, but to be honest, I think she’d be grand over any trip. We’ll get her started and work from there.’

Good news about how the schooling has gone, as I believe this time last year we were hearing she hadn’t gone so well in schooling over fences?

 

[Lobos]

Good news about how the schooling has gone, as I believe this time last year we were hearing she hadn’t gone so well in schooling over fences?

Reckon a lot of that was hyped up by the media. They simply had to give her a go over Hurdles would be my guess.

 

[Wayward Lad]

Reckon a lot of that was hyped up by the media. They simply had to give her a go over Hurdles would be my guess.

Jumped like a table we were told and learned!

 

[Lobos]

Jumped like a table we were told and learned!

Not seen her in a chase yet though so can't really say.

 

[Eggs]

….Brides Hill & Limerick Lace both still appearing in markets but has been retired according to Cromwell;

Brides Hill;
‘She was a brilliant mare for us, winning eight races and finishing second in the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but she has been retired from racing.’

Limerick Lace;
‘She’s another mare that was brilliant for us, most memorably winning the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024, but she has also been retired from racing.’

 

[Eggs]

….Cromwell re Only by Night;

‘I’m happy with her. We might look to start her off a second-season chase at Naas in November. Longer term, she’d look a very obvious candidate for the Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and we’ll pick our punches between now and then.’

 

[Yosser]

Has anybody had a bet on this race? I look at the prices and just move onto another

 

[Eggs]

DINOBLUE​

Dinoblue is back in training, and I’d imagine we’ll take a similar route to last year with her towards the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham.

 

[Eggs]

SPINDLEBERRY​

Spindleberry has come back very strong. She looks like she has the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham as a target and the race at Clonmel would be the spot to start her in if the ground is all right. All her best form is on right-handed tracks, but she’s only run once going left and was beaten. However, that was just circumstances, they were just the races that were available, and we don’t think she has any preference for going right or left at all.

 

[Lobos]

Why mention the RH/LH thingy then Willie if you have no worries over it.......mmmmmm

 

[Eggs]

….BDA 6-1 in Hills ‘Road to Cheltenham’ specials.

 

[Kauto’s star]

Has there been any further info on whether JDG goes chasing? I like Spindleberry for this (though 6s is a bit skinny). No doubt JDG would firm up if entered over fences

 

[Wayward Lad]

Has there been any further info on whether JDG goes chasing? I like Spindleberry for this (though 6s is a bit skinny). No doubt JDG would firm up if entered over fences

Nothing that I have read

Last thing was Willie saying with JDG and Kargese, that one may go chasing and the other stay hurdling

Only thing since that comment (stable tours?) was bit of blue on oddschecker for Kargese Arkle

Would love to be a spy on those schooling grounds at Willies !

 

[Lobos]

Nothing that I have read

Last thing was Willie saying with JDG and Kargese, that one may go chasing and the other stay hurdling

Only thing since that comment (stable tours?) was bit of blue on oddschecker for Kargese Arkle

Would love to be a spy on those schooling grounds at Willies !

How I see it is....... Kargese is an out and out 2 miler, she's not good enough for the Champion Hurdle and will have to win the County again off close to top weight so going chasing and going for the Arkle would be the only option of a festival race for her IMO.

JDG could have another go at the Mares Hurdle or go chasing and go for the Mares Chase without clashing with Kargese.

The above scenario giving owner/trainer good chances at two races of a win or a place.

What's not to like?

 

[Wayward Lad]

How I see it is....... Kargese is an out and out 2 miler, she's not good enough for the Champion Hurdle and will have to win the County again off close to top weight so going chasing and going for the Arkle would be the only option of a festival race for her IMO.

JDG could have another go at the Mares Hurdle or go chasing and go for the Mares Chase without clashing with Kargese.

The above scenario giving owner/trainer good chances at two races of a win or a place.

What's not to like?

I agree completely re Kargese and have backed her accordingly for the Arkle, hoping she takes to fences in her schooling……..as you say, where else is she to go this season

As for JDG then I’m sure at the start of last season Willie said positive things about the horse around suitability for fences is a big sort…….if taking to fences then she may suit the 2 1/2 miles of the Mares chase and if transferring her hurdle rating to fences then would have an outstanding chance IMO……maybe a better chance of beating Wodhooh in the Mares hurdle?…………or is JDG’s target linked to Lossies target?……don’t want to fire two quality bullets at one race again surely?

Let’s hope they both JDG and Kargese school well and Willie goes chasing with both, rather than one chasing and one hurdling as he inferred recently

I suppose final decisions on targets may depend on performances of other horses though, however if a horse is to go chasing this year, then it needs to be schooled and perform on the racecourse over fences now, so it’s not like a decision can be taken later with JDG

Last year the plan for JDG I believe was fences but then there was a hold up/small niggle etc and it was too late in the season to go chasing, so they stayed hurdling

Once gain, I’d love to be a spy on Willies schooling grounds!

 

[Lobos]

Brighterdaysahead and Wingmen will be split up in the novice chases between the two-mile-one and the two and a half,” said Elliott’s assistant Lisa O’Neill.

“I hope the season is exciting for her, I saw her schooling over fences last week and she was very, very good. We saw what she was capable of last season, I know it petered out and didn’t finish the way we wanted it to but she’s in good form and has strengthened up.

“I think she might start off over two-mile-one, but we’ll factor in ground and opposition. You know beginners chases at Navan are always going to be strong, though.”

 

[archie]

She is not bred for 2 miles. While it's fine as an introduction, the endgame has always been the Gold Cup and the natural transition race is the Mares Chase.