2022 Mares Hurdle

[Buckingham]

This is pure coincidence (so don't feel I'm taking the piss) and slightly ironic given our discussion in the Supreme earlier but... She's just beaten Heaven Help Us 16 lengths. Who beat the favourite for this LTO. I'm not sure you'd need 'massive improvement for the step up'!

HHU is better over further than 2m in fairness but even if you use Saint Roi or Zanahir, she's beaten a 155 horse by 2 lengths and finished half a length behind a 159 rated horse. On ratings she'd be right up there with the best in the race here

All horses "stay", its more a question of to what extent they can replicate their best form over the trip. If you look at Racing Post Ratings (just as an example), Telmesomethinggirl has a peak RPR of 154 and Stormy Ireland a peak RPR of 152, both over the mares hurdle trip of 2m 4f. Provisionally Echoes In Rain has been given an RPR today of 153 (her best). So, in all likelihood you need her to at least match her best RPR over the longer trip (and more probably to better it) to win a Mares hurdle. As Kevloaf says above "you probably need (massive) improvement for the step up which they've never mentioned or considered before". However, its all about price and if you believe the 16/1 covers the risk then that's fine. Personally, I would want a bit more but hey we are all wrong more often than we are right!

[Kevloaf]

At the risk of everyone playing Devil’s advocate, does she definitely not stay 2m4f? It looked that way earlier in the season, but she might’ve just been shite. Did look to be staying on ok today which is why I’m less certain now about ruling her out entirely.

As she's never tried it, I don't think anyone would get drawn into saying she definitely won't stay... however given the number of races she's has at the minimum trip and the mixed results, if they thought she could to a higher level, she'd have tried it by now?

She may get further as she gets older... but with a lot of horses they run and you think they'll improve when they go up in trip, I've never felt that about her. She's never plugging on best out of anything over 2m from what I can see?

[Lobos]

Echoes has just finished a very good 3rd over 2 miles behind what could be the best Mare ever seen. There's no way Willie will give up the chance of Black type for her. Her chances of a top 4 place getting the 7lbs versus the geldings looks a lot brighter after today. She'll take her chance in the big one.

[delsie777]

She is the type of horse who will suddenly produce a career best in the Champion and run on to be 3rd or 4th after being rubbish all year.

[Lobos]

She is the type of horse who will suddenly produce a career best in the Champion and run on to be 3rd or 4th after being rubbish all year.

Sharjah was 19 lengths 3rd to her in the Irish Churdle last year and finished 2nd at the Fez so Echoes has every chance of mirroring that. She's a decent place bet at the prices especially 'without' Honey.

[Outlaw]

Sharjah was 19 lengths 3rd to her in the Irish Churdle last year and finished 2nd at the Fez so Echoes has every chance of mirroring that. She's a decent place bet at the prices especially 'without' Honey.

Sharjah is a proven G1 horse with a distinctive run style suited to championship races(needs pace and lots of it) EIR might turn out to be similar but he’s a superior horse to her at present and she still has plenty to prove albeit time on her side. If AI makes it Paul will be on him & paddy on Sharjah so another variable to add in jockey?

[Benjy23]

Champion Hurdle would still be serious option, and probably most likely. But Mullins has the second and third favourite there at the moment. Where as in the Mares he has none of the top three in the market, and we know he likes to win it (and every race).

She's only 6 as well. Annie Power won the Champion Hurdle for the at 8. Different stable but, Honeysuckle won it at 7. Both running in it for the first time and after winning the Mares Hurdle the previous year. It's not now or never for Echoes In Rain on the Champion Hurdle front... As much as next year's renewal looks like it could be stronger, depending on what goes chasing from this year's novices.

I've taken the 16s NRNB. Don't think I can really lose with that one. Other than wuen I inevitably don't bother laying off like Kev says.

[Silverbirch]

Looks pretty open this race. I can't see Echoes coming here, I thought she did pretty well and much improved yesterday, worth another shot IMO.

Just been watching Burning Victory's previous runs, I hope tactics will come into play here because she's got a great chance in my view, hopefully she can get onto Stormy Ireland's ass.
I think BV is much better when she's ridden more prominently, it also improves her jumping. When she's been held up previously, she just doesn't run her race at all and jumps horribly. The run behind KD and FP was very good and the 3m and searing pace was testing but she jumped so much better.
Back up against her own gender and seemingly now not the strongest of races, shes going to be right up there.
If she can stalk SI all the way around she's got a similar chance to TMSG albeit 3 times the price.

[jono]

Just been watching Burning Victory's previous runs, I hope tactics will come into play here because she's got a great chance in my view, hopefully she can get onto Stormy Ireland's ass.

I'm very keen on her chances.
But have a nagging doubt they won't send her here.

Though she didn't take up the entries, she has recently been entered up in the Galmoy hurdle and the handicap hurdle just gone at the DRF, both over 3 miles.
I would have liked to have seen her run in the grade 2 at Ascot in the race recently.
Instead they sent My Sister Sarah. That was just under 3 miles, but was a Mares race.

I'm hoping the Quevega hurdle is the plan, though Willie has name checked that race for Finest Evermore.
Of course he could run several.

Whilst i'd love to see her drop back into Mares races and over the shorter trip.
Every entry and run this year so far has been 3 miles, against the boys in handicaps.

[Silverbirch]

I'm very keen on her chances.
But have a nagging doubt they won't send her here.

Though she didn't take up the entries, she has recently been entered up in the Galmoy hurdle and the handicap hurdle just gone at the DRF, both over 3 miles.
I would have liked to have seen her run in the grade 2 at Ascot in the race recently.
Instead they sent My Sister Sarah. That was just under 3 miles, but was a Mares race.

I'm hoping the Quevega hurdle is the plan, though Willie has name checked that race for Finest Evermore.
Of course he could run several.

Whilst i'd love to see her drop back into Mares races and over the shorter trip.
Every entry and run this year so far has been 3 miles, against the boys in handicaps.

Yeah a worry, but I suppose Willie doesn't have the strongest of hands here, which is a plus. But yes you are right. And obviously a concern, but I think she's probably his best mare for the race IMO (excluding concertista of course)

[RufusFlynn]

With no standout for this race it feels like a bit of a lottery, doesn't it?

The one I keep coming back to yet seems to be the biggest price of those most likely to end up here is Indefatigable.

Form at Cheltenham reads; 5-1-2-1-4-2.
Form at the Festiavl reads; 5-1-4

5th in the mares Novice over an now inadequate 2 miles (staying on and best of the British runners0
Won a mares Novice (small field yes, but a win all the same.
2nd behind Dame de Compagnie won wne ton to win the Coral Cup that year
Won the Martin Pipe against a decent field.
4th in the 2021 Mares Hurdle behind Black Tears (retired), Concertista (chasing) and Roksana (now retired).
2nd behind Martello Sky in December (beaten a neck giving 5lbs - Martello Sky is in some places around half the price for the MH


Yes she has an entry in the stayers, but if any of the main protagonists run their race then I can't see her quite being good enough over the longer trip and with the irish mares seemingly all of a similar level the Mares Hurdle will surely be the target. Ground shouldn't be an issue and stays further than the trip so will still be galloping at the end. Think the 20/1 is decent value - could even go off bigger on the day.

[Odin]

With no standout for this race it feels like a bit of a lottery, doesn't it?

The one I keep coming back to yet seems to be the biggest price of those most likely to end up here is Indefatigable.

Form at Cheltenham reads; 5-1-2-1-4-2.
Form at the Festiavl reads; 5-1-4

5th in the mares Novice over an now inadequate 2 miles (staying on and best of the British runners0
Won a mares Novice (small field yes, but a win all the same.
2nd behind Dame de Compagnie won wne ton to win the Coral Cup that year
Won the Martin Pipe against a decent field.
4th in the 2021 Mares Hurdle behind Black Tears (retired), Concertista (chasing) and Roksana (now retired).
2nd behind Martello Sky in December (beaten a neck giving 5lbs - Martello Sky is in some places around half the price for the MH


Yes she has an entry in the stayers, but if any of the main protagonists run their race then I can't see her quite being good enough over the longer trip and with the irish mares seemingly all of a similar level the Mares Hurdle will surely be the target. Ground shouldn't be an issue and stays further than the trip so will still be galloping at the end. Think the 20/1 is decent value - could even go off bigger on the day.

Agree she could be good value for a place, but I'd be surprised if she's good enough to win so don't see her price changing so she's one to bet on the day with extra places available for me

[Rooster Booster]

Agree she could be good value for a place, but I'd be surprised if she's good enough to win so don't see her price changing so she's one to bet on the day with extra places available for me

She’s entered at the weekend so price likely to change either way if she runs.

[Odin]

She’s entered at the weekend so price likely to change either way if she runs.

That's a fair shut down of my 'her price won't change comment' haha

(still one for the day with extra places for me)

[Benjy23]

A good day for Echoes In Rain's prospects of running here at least! Wish I went antepost not NRNB now