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The OLBG Mares’ Hurdle is being run for the first time as a Grade One contest and has attracted a record 48 entries (previous highest 36 in 2013). There is sure to be a new name on the roll of honour with record-breaking six-time winner Quevega now retired.
Willie Mullins, trainer of Quevega, looks sure to play a major role again in 2015 with Ireland’s champion Jump trainer accounting for more entries than any other handler, nine in total. These are headed by Annie Power, who is clear favourite at around Evens with most bookmakers. The seven-year-old won her first 10 starts before only finding More Of That too strong in last season’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Other interesting contenders from the Mullins stable include last year’s runner-up Glens Melody, Lyrical Theatre, who has landed four of her five starts in good style, and the unbeaten Grade Three scorer Morning Run.
The strongest opposition to another Mullins success could come from Aurore D’Estruval, trained by North Yorkshire-based John Quinn. The five-year-old began the year with an impressive success in the Listed OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby on November 1 before finishing second to Irving in the Grade One StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. She got back to winning ways last time out with a comfortable two-length victory over Dark Spirit (Evan Williams) in a Listed event at Sandown on January 3, when stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time. She is currently second favourite at around the 4/1 mark in the ante-post market.
Quinn reported: “We are very pleased with Aurore D’Estruval. She is in good fettle and won’t run again before Cheltenham.
“I was very happy at Sandown. The ground was barely raceable but she proved she gets the trip and we know she is better on nice ground.
“She is a good mare, who is young and going forward. She has improved and will go to Cheltenham with a decent chance.”
Two decent contenders from smaller stables are Carole’s Spirit (Robert Walford), an impressive eight-length winner on her seasonal reappearance at Kempton in November, and Carrigmoorna Rock (Robert Tyner), an easy winner of a Grade Three mares’ event at Leopardstown over Christmas.
The third and fourth from last year’s race, L’Unique (Alan King) and Hidden Identity (Tim Vaughan), are entered again, while Nicky Henderson’s two entries are Polly Peachum, successful at Cheltenham’s April Meeting last season in the Listed OLBG.com Supports Mares' Jump Racing Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, and Mayfair Music, a Listed scorer at Doncaster last season.
Britain’s champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls has one entry, Tara Point, who has gained three victories in four starts including a Listed race at Taunton on December 30.
Read more at http://cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.u...8wumhHTr7hT.99
Willie Mullins, trainer of Quevega, looks sure to play a major role again in 2015 with Ireland’s champion Jump trainer accounting for more entries than any other handler, nine in total. These are headed by Annie Power, who is clear favourite at around Evens with most bookmakers. The seven-year-old won her first 10 starts before only finding More Of That too strong in last season’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle. Other interesting contenders from the Mullins stable include last year’s runner-up Glens Melody, Lyrical Theatre, who has landed four of her five starts in good style, and the unbeaten Grade Three scorer Morning Run.
The strongest opposition to another Mullins success could come from Aurore D’Estruval, trained by North Yorkshire-based John Quinn. The five-year-old began the year with an impressive success in the Listed OLBG.com Mares’ Hurdle at Wetherby on November 1 before finishing second to Irving in the Grade One StanJames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. She got back to winning ways last time out with a comfortable two-length victory over Dark Spirit (Evan Williams) in a Listed event at Sandown on January 3, when stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time. She is currently second favourite at around the 4/1 mark in the ante-post market.
Quinn reported: “We are very pleased with Aurore D’Estruval. She is in good fettle and won’t run again before Cheltenham.
“I was very happy at Sandown. The ground was barely raceable but she proved she gets the trip and we know she is better on nice ground.
“She is a good mare, who is young and going forward. She has improved and will go to Cheltenham with a decent chance.”
Two decent contenders from smaller stables are Carole’s Spirit (Robert Walford), an impressive eight-length winner on her seasonal reappearance at Kempton in November, and Carrigmoorna Rock (Robert Tyner), an easy winner of a Grade Three mares’ event at Leopardstown over Christmas.
The third and fourth from last year’s race, L’Unique (Alan King) and Hidden Identity (Tim Vaughan), are entered again, while Nicky Henderson’s two entries are Polly Peachum, successful at Cheltenham’s April Meeting last season in the Listed OLBG.com Supports Mares' Jump Racing Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, and Mayfair Music, a Listed scorer at Doncaster last season.
Britain’s champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls has one entry, Tara Point, who has gained three victories in four starts including a Listed race at Taunton on December 30.
Read more at http://cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.u...8wumhHTr7hT.99
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