Mares Hurdle
14:40 Cheltenham Festival
2026-03-12
Winner: £70,337.5
Runners: 25
Going:
No. of hurdles: 10
Distance:
The Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle is a Grade 1 hurdle run over 2m4f and restricted to mares. Starting in 2026 it will be run on day four of the Cheltenham Festival, previously being on day one. It is still a relatively new addition to the meeting, having first been staged in 2008. Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins has dominated the Mares’ Hurdle. Winning eleven of the eighteen runnings, including six in a row with star mare Quevega, and the last two with Lossiemouth.
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MARES HURDLE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2025 | Lossiemouth | 11-12F | 6 | 4/6F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2024 | Lossiemouth | 1211-1 | 5 | 8-13F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2023 | Honeysuckle | -132 | 9 | 9-4F | Henry De Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2022 | Marie’s Rock | 317P1 | 7 | 18-1 | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2021 | Black Tears | 22-331 | 7 | 11-1 | Denise Foster | Jack Kennedy |
| 2020 | Honeysuckle | 11-111 | 6 | 9-4 | Henry De Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2019 | Roksana | 3-1112 | 7 | 10-1 | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton |
| 2018 | Benie Des Dieux | 33-1-11 | 7 | 9-2 | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2017 | Apple’s Jade | 1-2212 | 5 | 7-2 | Gordon Elliott | Bryan Cooper |
| 2016 | Vroum Vroum Mag | 11-111 | 7 | 4-6F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2015 | Glens Melody | 4-7521 | 7 | 6-1 | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
MARES HURDLE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Trained in Ireland, 8/10
- Aged between six and seven, 8/10
- Ran to an RPR of 150 or above, 7/10
- Had won on their previous start, 6/10
- Had previously not won at Grade 1 level, 6/10
Other factors
- Lossiemouth (2024 and 2025), Honeysuckle (2023) and Apple’s Jade (2017) were the winning favourites in the last decade.
- Only three winners in the past decade have returned at double-figure odds, with Marie’s Rock (2022) returning the biggest odds at 18-1
We have all the best Cheltenham Betting offers ahead of placing your bets on the 2026. Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - MARES HURDLE 2026
Lossiemouth became an 11th winner for Willie Mullins in 18 runnings of the Mares’ Hurdle. The talented grey, who races in the silks of Susannah and Rich Ricci, registered back-to-back victories in the contest. Paul Townend’s mount was sent off the 4-6 favourite and breezed clear for a seven-and-a-half-length victory over stablemate Jade De Grugy.